This past March, Afidence had the honor of presenting on the MITRE ATT&CK and D3FEND Frameworks at the Ohio Information Security Conference (OISC) hosted by Technology First. It was enlightening to be surrounded by other experts in cybersecurity and empower like-minded professionals with the knowledge to map D3FEND countermeasures and apply ATT&CK techniques to help organizations effectively defend themselves against known threats. You may be wondering, “What is the MITRE ATT&CK Framework?” To answer that question, let’s take a deep dive into the world of cyber threats, the different types of MITRE ATT&CKs used to track them,  and how to properly defend against them. 

MITRE ATT&CK and D3FEND Frameworks Explained

The MITRE ATT&CK Framework is a curated knowledge base that tracks cyber adversary tactics and techniques used by threat actors across the entire attack lifecycle. The framework is meant to be more than a collection of data: It is intended to be used as a tool to strengthen an organization’s security posture.

There are three iterations of MITRE ATT&CK:

• ATT&CK for Enterprise: Focuses on identifying and imitating adversarial behavior in Windows, Mac, Linux and cloud environments.
  
• ATT&CK for Mobile: Focuses on identifying and imitating adversarial behavior in Android and iOS operating systems.
  
• ATT&CK for ICS: Focuses on describing the actions adversaries might take when they operate in an industrial control system (ICS).

Cybercriminals tend to use specific techniques to infiltrate organizations and steal data. The MITRE ATT&CK Framework catalogs information that correlates cybercriminal groups to campaigns, so security teams can better understand the adversaries they are dealing with, evaluate their defenses and strengthen security where it matters most.

D3FEND refers to a comprehensive cybersecurity framework dedicated to enhancing detection, denial and disruption for network defense. Its primary aim is to address the gaps in an organization’s security posture, ranging from foundational system improvements to advanced threat detection techniques.

Prepare for the Inevitable With the MITRE ATT&CK Framework

Picture it: You’ve just finished dinner with your family. You’re on the couch in your living room, winding down for the evening, when suddenly your phone goes off. It’s an alert from your security team informing you of a data breach.

All of your assets are being held for ransom and you have approximately 48 hours to pay your attackers before the data is leaked on the internet. What do you do next? What are your cybersecurity strategies? 

You don’t get a competitive edge in business by keeping pace or reacting to the latest trend. You need to be proactive and have the infrastructure to quickly adjust to any change. The same is true for your cybersecurity strategies.

Hiring an expert team of cybersecurity consultants will help you secure your organization and prepare you for every stage of a cyberattack, starting from the initial snooping all the way to the aftermath, using the MITRE ATT&CK and D3FEND Frameworks to break it all down.

Ready to Discuss Cybersecurity Tactics for Your Business?

At Afidence, we help our clients cut through the noise of other staffing vendors by reducing the turnaround time on hard-to-find and hard-to-keep positions with consulting talent. From cybersecurity and cloud migration to IT project management, save time and money by fortifying your team from top-to-bottom with technologists your leaders will love working with. Contact us today for more best practices and security strategies to protect your business.