In cybersecurity, being well-versed in the wide range of resources available for protecting and enhancing your digital environment is crucial. One of the most significant and effective tools is the Mitre ATT&CK Framework. Read on for an in-depth exploration of this critical cybersecurity framework and how you can apply it to your own organization.
What does Mitre stand for?
MITRE is not an acronym but a name originally derived from “MIT Research.” It’s a not-for-profit organization that operates several federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) in the United States. The organization supports the U.S. government with scientific research and analysis, development of systems and procedures, and technical guidance.Why is the Mitre ATT&CK framework important?
Mitre’s ATT&CK (Adversarial Tactics, Techniques & Common Knowledge) framework is a globally accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques based on real-world observations. It’s a foundation for developing threat models and methodologies in the private sector, government, and the cybersecurity product and service community.Understanding the basics of the Mitre ATT&CK framework
The ATT&CK framework encompasses and categorizes the entirety of an attack life cycle, providing a detailed understanding of the steps an adversary might take to compromise a system. This includes everything from initial system reconnaissance to how an attacker might maintain their presence within a system once they’ve gained access.What are the benefits of Mitre ATT&CK?
The ATT&CK framework provides a common language that IT and security teams can use to understand, prioritize, and manage cyber risks. This allows organizations to:- Understand attacker behavior.
- Improve threat intelligence.
- Enhance their security posture.
- Facilitate improved communication across different teams.
What sectors does Mitre ATT&CK serve?
The Mitre ATT&CK framework applies to a wide range of sectors. Whether public or private, any sector that relies on digital systems for operation can benefit from the ATT&CK framework, including enterprise, healthcare, financial services, education, and critical infrastructure, to name a few.Mitre ATT&CK vs the Cyber Kill Chain
The Cyber Kill Chain, developed by Lockheed Martin, is another model used to understand and combat cyber-attacks. While both models offer valuable insights, they differ in focus. The Cyber Kill Chain focuses primarily on the stages of an attack, aiming to stop adversaries at the earliest phase possible. In contrast, the ATT&CK framework focuses more on the tactics and techniques an attacker may use throughout the attack cycle. It provides a more granular view of attacker behavior within a network, which can aid in detection, prevention, and mitigation efforts.What is the Mitre ATT&CK matrix?
The ATT&CK Matrix is a visualization tool within the framework that provides a comprehensive and detailed mapping of tactics and techniques used by threat actors in cyber attacks. Each cell in the matrix represents a specific attacker behavior, with tactics represented as columns and techniques as cells under each tactic.What are some examples of the Mitre ATT&CK Matrix?
An example of an ATT&CK matrix is one specifically designed for enterprise networks. It includes tactics such as: Initial Access: The techniques an attacker may use to gain a foothold in your network. Execution: The methods used to run malicious code. Persistence: Techniques that keep the attacker in the network after initial access. Privilege Escalation: Gaining higher-level permissions on the network. Defense Evasion: Avoiding detection. Credential Access: Stealing user credentials, such as passwords. These are just some of the tactics within the Matrix; each tactic includes multiple techniques that provide detailed information about attack methodologies.How can you use the Mitre ATT&CK matrix?
The ATT&CK Matrix can be used in multiple ways to improve an organization’s cybersecurity posture:Threat Hunting
Use the Matrix to identify possible techniques an attacker might use and search for traces of those activities.Threat Intelligence
Map received threat intelligence reports to the Matrix to understand the techniques attackers are using and prioritize defenses.Incident Response
After an attack, use the Matrix to identify the techniques the attacker used, helping to close security gaps and prevent future attacks. In conclusion, the Mitre ATT&CK framework serves as a robust tool for understanding the attack strategies employed by cyber threats. By familiarizing ourselves with this framework, we can create safer, more secure digital environments for all sectors of our modern world.Using the MITRE ATT&CK framework with SecurityScorecard
SecurityScorecard offers products and services that assist with three key use cases of the MITRE ATT&CK framework: Threat Intelligence: SecurityScorecard’s Cyber Risk Intelligence (CRI) offering provides cybersecurity teams with expert insights through custom, actionable, and board-ready reports that enable teams to understand and respond to cybersecurity threats effectively. Detection and Analytics: The SecurityScorecard Enterprise Cyber Risk Management use case allows organizations to sort and filter asset reports to identify the IPs that bring the most risk. SecurityScorecard makes it easy to know which issues to address first. Adversary Emulation: SecurityScorecard’s Red Team service uses intelligence-led threat scenarios to perform a simulated, real-life cyber attack against an organization. Our cyber experts use the tactics, techniques and procedures of known malicious groups to uncover compromising vulnerabilities found in systems, networks, applications, physical security, or people.