What is the MITRE ATT&CK Framework?
The MITRE ATT&CK framework is a comprehensive knowledge base that empowers organizations and professionals to recognize, assess, and counteract cyber threats. It offers a structured approach to understanding the intricacies of cyberattacks.
Origins and evolution of MITRE ATT&CK
The MITRE ATT&CK framework was initiated in response to the critical need for a comprehensive tool to analyze cyber threats. Its roots trace back to MITRE Corporation, a nonprofit organization operating federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) in the U.S. In the early 2010s, MITRE began developing ATT&CK to counter the rising threats from cyber adversaries.
Initially, the framework focused on characterizing adversary actions across various stages of a cyber attack chain, emphasizing tactics and techniques. Over time, it evolved into a multi-dimensional resource, including tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This expansion provided cybersecurity professionals with a holistic tool to identify adversary tactics, specific techniques, and the procedures they followed, enhancing threat understanding and mitigation.
Core components of MITRE ATT&CK
The MITRE ATT&CK framework consists of core components that enable cybersecurity professionals to recognize and categorize cyber threats. It’s built around the following components:
Tactics: Tactics represent the highest level of classification in the framework. They define the strategic objectives of cyber adversaries. Tactics include initial access, execution, persistence, privilege escalation, and defense evasion.
Techniques: Techniques are the specific methods adversaries employ to achieve their tactical objectives. For instance, the “Spearphishing Attachment” technique falls under the “Initial Access” tactic. Techniques provide a deeper understanding of how adversaries execute their tactics.
Procedures (TTPs): Procedures are the most granular level of the framework. They describe the step-by-step processes adversaries use to execute techniques. Procedures offer detailed insights into the methodologies adversaries follow during cyberattacks.
These elements create a structured hierarchy within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, enabling cybersecurity professionals to analyze and respond to cyber threats methodically.
Understanding Tactics and Techniques
The MITRE ATT&CK framework classifies cyber adversaries’ tactics into several categories, each encompassing specific techniques. For instance, under the “Execution” tactic, techniques like “Command-Line Interface” or “PowerShell” are classified.
These techniques are the tools that adversaries use to execute their attacks. “Command-Line Interface” implies the utilization of a system’s command-line interface for malicious activities, while “PowerShell” indicates using PowerShell scripts for executing malicious commands. By studying each technique, cybersecurity professionals can gain insight into how adversaries operate and their methods to achieve their objectives.