What does the security information exchange format (STIX) provide?

The security information exchange format, commonly known as STIX, provides a standard for exchanging security information and threat intelligence. This framework is designed to facilitate the sharing of structured information about cyber threats, including indicators of compromise, threat actors, attack patterns, and defenses.

By having a standardized format, organizations can effectively share relevant security data across different tools and platforms, enhancing collaboration and improving the overall cybersecurity posture in a structured manner. It aims to promote better situational awareness and faster responses to cyber threats.

The other options do not accurately describe the purpose of STIX. Networks access control relates to policies and technologies that restrict access to networks, which is a different area of cybersecurity. Auditing security policies focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of existing security measures rather than exchanging information. Meanwhile, data encryption deals with securing data to prevent unauthorized access, which is not what STIX is designed to do. Therefore, the correct answer emphasizes STIX's role in standardizing the process of sharing threat intelligence.