Since the MITRE ATT&CK framework was released in 2013, it has become widely used by cybersecurity teams. Built to be complementary to other frameworks, like the Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain, the ATT&CK method (Adversarial Tactics, Techniques & Common Knowledge) was created to be a “foundation for the development of specific threat models and methodologies”.
The MITRE ATT&CK framework breaks down known tactics and techniques into 11 main categories. This free resource provides cybersecurity teams with a systematic approach on how to classify attacks and assess risk based on how an attacker might act. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, we expect frameworks like MITRE to play an important role and be a key component in The SOC of the future.
Here are five reasons the MITRE framework is being adopted in the industry and why you should consider using it for your organization.
Structure Your Defenses
Using the MITRE framework automatically creates an organized approach to building your cybersecurity defenses. The standardization they provide in their matrix is logically built out to help organizations form a baseline cyber strategy. Organizations both young and old can utilize this framework to achieve comprehensive detection of known threats. Using tools such as DetectionLab will allow you to create a mock environment to see how specific tactics behave so you can create correlation rules that will trigger an alert for suspicious activity.
Be Stronger Together
The MITRE framework is constantly being worked on and developed by the excellent team at the MITRE Corporation. Additionally, they accept and encourage public submissions recognizing that we are stronger when we work together. While they only publish updates twice a year, they do a great job keeping abreast of the latest threats from across the globe. And if you’re using Sigma format when writing use cases (which we highly recommend), you can also take advantage of the rules already created by the community.
Be the Best, With the Best
Although there are many security frameworks available, many in the industry believe that MITRE is the best framework to use. The framework is newer and, in many cases, considered more relevant to today’s cyberthreats. It also provides much more granularity into known tactics and techniques, which makes it a valuable tool for anyone new (or not!) to cybersecurity. The level of description provided for each technique (or sub technique) helps to answer the critical question, “how can I detect this?” The MITRE framework provides a high level of detail that includes a definition of the tactic, procedure examples, mitigations, detection details, platforms the activity is performed on, and data sources that have logs that will show the activity. It gives you much of what you need to understand each type of activity and start looking for this in a network/system.
Build Trackable Metrics
Using the MITRE framework gives you a baseline for mapping trends. Not only will this help you track where your attacks are coming from, and how you can better defend your organization, but it may also help you to discover defensive strengths and weaknesses – and then provide direction on how to close any gaps in your security posture. As an added bonus, you can use the ATT&CK Navigator, which is a tool that allows you to customize your matrix. This tool acts as a whiteboard for MITRE, allowing you to color code, annotate, and even export to Excel. It is a good way to visualize your coverage; at a quick glance, you can see what areas you have got covered – and where you have gaps – helping you ensure you have well-rounded coverage.
Speak A Common Language
The broad adoption of MITRE makes it an easy way to communicate details to others in a more digestible fashion – not only within your organization, but also to clients, partners, and others in the industry. This is why so many Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) have adopted this framework within their organization. It has also become the common language in the cybersecurity community, allowing us to work together to fight against cybercriminals.
Wherever you are in your cybersecurity journey, it is never too late to redefine your processes to better align with your long-term strategy. Proficio finds the MITRE framework is a great way to provide our clients with comprehensive cybersecurity coverage, using use cases written in Sigma to map use cases to MITRE ATT&CK. If you are interested in seeing how the MITRE framework, and Proficio, can help keep your organization better protected, please contact us to learn more.
