Mapping Breach And Attack Simulation (BAS) Findings to the MITRE ATT&CK Framework

The MITRE ATT&CK Framework has become the global standard for understanding adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). It’s more than a reference—it’s a blueprint for building, testing, and improving defenses.

Aquila I’s Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) platform integrates MITRE ATT&CK mapping into every simulation, linking each test to specific tactics and techniques. This gives security teams a precise view of where detection and response capabilities excel—and where they need improvement.

By mapping BAS results to MITRE ATT&CK, organizations gain a clear, standardized, and actionable way to measure readiness against real-world threats.

What Is the MITRE ATT&CK Framework?

MITRE ATT&CK (Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge) is a globally accessible knowledge base cataloging attacker behaviors based on real-world incidents.

• Tactics – The adversary’s objective at a given stage (e.g., Initial Access, Lateral Movement).

• Techniques – The method used to achieve the tactic (e.g., Spearphishing Attachment, Remote Services).

• Sub-Techniques – More specific variations of a technique.
  

Why Mapping BAS Findings to MITRE ATT&CK Matters

1. Standardization Across Teams BAS results expressed in MITRE terms create a common language for SOC analysts, CISOs, and auditors—removing ambiguity.
   

2. Comprehensive Coverage Analysis Easily identify which MITRE tactics have strong detection and which remain blind spots.
   

3. Prioritization of Fixes Helps security leaders decide if a gap in Initial Access is more urgent than one in Command and Control.
   

4. Alignment With Red Teaming Manual red team assessments also use MITRE ATT&CK, ensuring consistency between automated BAS and human-led testing.
   

How Aquila I’s BAS Maps to MITRE ATT&CK

Step 1 – Simulation Execution Runs scenarios like phishing emails bypassing a secure email gateway, safe malware infections, privilege escalation, and lateral movement.

Step 2 – Detection Verification Checks whether your tools detect the simulated behavior.

Step 3 – Mapping to MITRE Tactics & Techniques Each simulated action is tagged to a MITRE ID, e.g.:

• T1566.001 – Spearphishing Attachment (Initial Access)

• T1059 – Command and Scripting Interpreter (Execution)

• T1078 – Valid Accounts (Persistence/Privilege Escalation)
  

Step 4 – Reporting & Visualization Generates MITRE heat maps showing strong vs. weak detection coverage.

Example Mapping Table

BAS Scenario	MITRE Tactic	MITRE Technique	Detection Result
Phishing email with malicious macro	Initial Access	T1566.001 Spearphishing Attachment	Detected
EDR bypass via PowerShell	Execution	T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter	Missed
Lateral movement via RDP	Lateral Movement	T1021.001 Remote Services	Detected

Industry Use Cases

BFSI – Phishing & Credential Theft Simulation mapped to T1566 (Spearphishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts). Detection caught the phishing attempt but missed credential misuse—prompting SOC tuning.

Healthcare – Ransomware Chain Mapping Mapped across Initial Access, Execution, Persistence, Impact. Detection was strong in Initial Access but missing for T1486 – Data Encrypted for Impact.

Manufacturing – Lateral Movement Gaps Tests mapped to T1021 – Remote Services revealed missing SMB traffic anomaly detection, leading to improved endpoint verification.

How Mapping Improves Remediation

• Precise Fixes – Knowing which MITRE technique failed enables targeted SIEM/EDR rule tuning.

• Faster Response – SOC teams can immediately focus on the right detection logic.

• Executive Reporting – MITRE-based coverage reports give leadership a clear security readiness view.
  

Best Practices for MITRE Mapping in BAS

• Run Full Attack Chains – Don’t limit mapping to single techniques; simulate multi-stage campaigns.

• Integrate with SOC Dashboards – Feed MITRE-mapped BAS results into SIEM for a unified coverage view (link to: /security-operations-integration).

• Retest After Fixes – Always re-run the scenario to confirm the gap is closed.

• Use Red Teaming for Complex Gaps – Validate high-priority detection issues with manual testing.
  

Future Trends

• AI-Powered Coverage Prediction – Forecast which MITRE techniques are most at risk for your environment.

• Micro Secure Vision Dashboards – Live, interactive MITRE coverage maps that update after each simulation.

• Threat Intel Integration – BAS will automatically recommend simulations based on the latest MITRE-linked APT campaigns.
  

Conclusion

Mapping BAS results to MITRE ATT&CK turns raw simulation data into actionable cyber defense intelligence.

Whether it’s identifying that your email security checks catch phishing but miss post-compromise actions, or that endpoint verification detects malware but not credential dumping—MITRE mapping makes your security posture measurable, comparable, and improvable.

Integrate MITRE mapping into every BAS run with Aquila I. Book a Live BAS Demo and see exactly where your defenses stand—and how to close the gaps.