Mapping ATT&CK to CVE for Impact

October 21, 2021

Project Summary

This research defines a methodology for using MITRE ATT&CK® to characterize the potential impacts of vulnerabilities. ATT&CK’s tactics and techniques enable defenders to quickly understand how a vulnerability can impact them. Vulnerability reporters and researchers use the methodology to describe the impact of vulnerabilities, enabling defenders to easily integrate vulnerability information into their risk models and identify appropriate compensating security controls. This methodology aims to establish a critical connection between vulnerability management, threat modeling, and compensating controls.

Problem

Defenders struggle to integrate vulnerability and threat information and lack a consistent view of how adversaries use vulnerabilities to achieve their goals. Without this context, it is difficult to appropriately prioritize vulnerabilities.

Solution

Develop a methodology to use the adversary behaviors described in ATT&CK to characterize the impact of CVEs, providing much-needed context.

Impact

CVEs linked to ATT&CK techniques form a crucial contextual bridge between vulnerability management, threat modeling, and compensating controls, empowering defenders to better assess the true risk posed by specific vulnerabilities in their environment.

Project Resources:

Project Announcement Project Website GitHub

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Funding Research Participants

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