What is multi-step reasoning?

Multi-step reasoning is a critical concept in cybersecurity, essential for comprehending and mitigating complex cyber threats by breaking down attacks into sequential, logical steps. This approach, akin to constructing a building where every component matters, enables professionals like threat hunters and incident responders to address each phase of an attack comprehensively, from initial access to data exfiltration. Utilizing frameworks like the MITRE ATT&CK and Lockheed's Kill Chain, cybersecurity experts can predict attacker behaviors and respond effectively, ensuring a complete understanding of the threat landscape. The integration of AI and large language models further enhances this process by rapidly processing data and identifying patterns, although human analysts remain indispensable for their contextual understanding and intuition. Ultimately, multi-step reasoning allows security teams to construct a cohesive threat narrative, facilitating deliberate and informed decision-making to protect organizations against evolving cyber threats.