When cybersecurity vendors track the same hacking groups under different names, the resulting confusion can delay critical threat responses and complicate incident attribution across the industry. The Russian threat actor APT29, for instance, operates under aliases including Midnight Blizzard, BlueBravo, and Cozy Bear, depending on which security platform analysts consult.
Microsoft and CrowdStrike have launched a collaborative initiative to address this nomenclature chaos by mapping over 80 threat actors across their respective tracking systems. The partnership focuses on aligning taxonomies rather than enforcing universal naming standards, creating translation matrices that allow cross-referencing between different vendor platforms. Through direct analyst collaboration, both companies have successfully deconflicted more than 80 adversaries, enabling faster threat identification in environments utilizing multiple security vendors.
Cross-referencing threat actor identities across vendor platforms accelerates incident response through collaborative intelligence sharing and standardized attribution frameworks.
The initiative has expanded beyond its initial scope, with Google’s Mandiant unit and Palo Alto Networks joining the standardization effort. Additional cybersecurity vendors are expected to participate, creating industry-wide threat actor reference alignment. This community-led approach seeks thorough coverage as it establishes shared baselines for attribution processes.
Inconsistent naming conventions create substantial operational challenges for security professionals. Overlap in tracking classifications complicates threat intelligence correlation, as nomenclature confusion can result in outbreaks spreading more widely because of delayed administrative responses. The standardization effort aims to eliminate complexity through unified vocabulary systems, with classification based on nationality and motivation to improve contextual clarity.
The benefits of aligned naming extend across multiple operational areas. Streamlined nomenclature accelerates cyberattack response times, reduces intelligence-sharing friction between organizations, and minimizes confusion for network defenders regarding threat identification priorities. Security professionals gain faster decision-making capabilities while decreasing error risks stemming from misattributed threat groups. The companies anticipate U.S. government participation to enhance collective defense against state-sponsored hacking groups.
Despite progress, significant challenges remain in achieving thorough standardization. Currently, only translation and mapping exist between different vendor systems rather than universal naming protocols. Microsoft has shifted from chemical element naming conventions toward themed approaches for consistency, though industry-wide adoption requires broader vendor participation.
The collaborative matrix represents what experts consider a potential game-changer for defenders requiring rapid incident response during critical security events.
