How the MITRE ATT&CK Framework Helps CISOs Communicate Risk to Stakeholders

Picture this: Your CEO comes into your office and asks, “What’s our security posture, and where’s our greatest area of risk? I’m particularly worried about this new emerging threat group. What defenses or detections do we have around that?”

You: “…”

Enter the MITRE ATT&CK® framework and Devo’s MITRE ATT&CK Adviser app—built to help you tell the business where your risks are and what it would take to address them.

MITRE ATT&CK: Not Just for the Blue Team

You already know how valuable the MITRE ATT&CK framework is to your SOC. The comprehensive knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) arms your analysts with the specific techniques threat actors use across various stages of the attack life cycle. But mapping your security operations to the ATT&CK framework doesn’t just help your Blue Team do its job better. It provides significant value for CISOs, too.

So, How Can the ATT&CK Framework and the Adviser App Help You Communicate Risk More Impactfully?

1. Standardized Language and Taxonomy

One of the biggest challenges CISOs face is effectively communicating security and risk to stakeholders within their organization. ATT&CK provides a standardized language and taxonomy that helps CISOs articulate complex security jargon in a clear and concise way. The framework’s terminology helps bridge the gap between technical experts and non-technical stakeholders, fostering better understanding and collaboration. The Adviser app goes one step further and provides visualization that you can place in any board presentation as soon as your CEO comes knocking.

2. Improved Threat Detection and Response

Do you wish you had a handy little guide with all the tactics used by threat actors at various stages of an attack? ATT&CK provides just that, and CISOs can use this information to enhance their incident response plans and better prepare for potential breaches. Mapping existing security controls and detection mechanisms into the framework helps identify any gaps and weaknesses that should be addressed and prioritized.

3. More Strategic Risk Management

ATT&CK can help security executives improve their game regarding effective risk management—a critical part of any CISO’s charter. The framework helps evaluate and quantify the risks of specific adversary tactics and techniques. By understanding the potential impact and likelihood of different attack scenarios, CISOs can allocate resources and dollars more effectively, focusing on the areas that pose the most significant risk to the organization. This might include strengthening security controls, enhancing employee training, or developing incident response plans specific to identified threats.

Does Your SIEM Incorporate MITRE ATT&CK Natively?

Many next-generation SIEMs are aligned with the ATT&CK framework and provide context about the individual parts of an attack. Not only does this greatly help SOC analysts easily predict an adversary’s behavior and next move, but it also arms CISOs with a common language that helps them communicate effectively with management and external partners.

You’re missing out big time if your legacy SIEM doesn’t align with or incorporate the ATT&CK framework. To learn more about which next-gen SIEMs make the most of this framework, check out this Buyer’s Guide.