A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation
Abstract Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) continue to evolve, employing sophisticated and evasive techniques that pose significant challenges to modern defense mechanisms, particularly in Active Directory (AD) environments. Adversary emulation serves as a proactive security strategy, enabling orga...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12948-x |
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| author | Alshaimaa Abo-alian Mahmoud Youssef Nagwa L. Badr |
| author_facet | Alshaimaa Abo-alian Mahmoud Youssef Nagwa L. Badr |
| author_sort | Alshaimaa Abo-alian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) continue to evolve, employing sophisticated and evasive techniques that pose significant challenges to modern defense mechanisms, particularly in Active Directory (AD) environments. Adversary emulation serves as a proactive security strategy, enabling organizations to replicate real-world adversary behaviors to assess and enhance detection, response, and mitigation capabilities. However, existing frameworks often lack a structured approach to prioritizing techniques based on impact, feasibility, and security control gaps, leading to suboptimal resource allocation. This study proposes a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach that integrates Operational Threat Intelligence (OTI) and structured datasets from MITRE ATT&CK to systematically prioritize adversary techniques. The methodology evaluates techniques across three key dimensions: Active Directory Impact, Threat Score, and Security Control Gap, employing entropy-based weighting to ensure an objective and data-driven prioritization process. To validate the proposed framework, a real-world case study based on the APT3 threat group is presented, demonstrating the applicability and effectiveness of the prioritization strategy in aligning adversary emulation with real-world attack scenarios. By focusing on high-impact and difficult-to-detect techniques, this framework enhances the effectiveness of adversary emulation and strengthens security postures in AD environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1648d5ab5e224af2836f4aa8b6e4e44f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-1648d5ab5e224af2836f4aa8b6e4e44f2025-08-20T03:05:21ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115112310.1038/s41598-025-12948-xA data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulationAlshaimaa Abo-alian0Mahmoud Youssef1Nagwa L. Badr2Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Computer and Information Sciences, Ain Shams UniversityAbstract Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) continue to evolve, employing sophisticated and evasive techniques that pose significant challenges to modern defense mechanisms, particularly in Active Directory (AD) environments. Adversary emulation serves as a proactive security strategy, enabling organizations to replicate real-world adversary behaviors to assess and enhance detection, response, and mitigation capabilities. However, existing frameworks often lack a structured approach to prioritizing techniques based on impact, feasibility, and security control gaps, leading to suboptimal resource allocation. This study proposes a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach that integrates Operational Threat Intelligence (OTI) and structured datasets from MITRE ATT&CK to systematically prioritize adversary techniques. The methodology evaluates techniques across three key dimensions: Active Directory Impact, Threat Score, and Security Control Gap, employing entropy-based weighting to ensure an objective and data-driven prioritization process. To validate the proposed framework, a real-world case study based on the APT3 threat group is presented, demonstrating the applicability and effectiveness of the prioritization strategy in aligning adversary emulation with real-world attack scenarios. By focusing on high-impact and difficult-to-detect techniques, this framework enhances the effectiveness of adversary emulation and strengthens security postures in AD environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12948-xAdversary emulationActive directory securityMITRE ATT&CKMulti-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM)Threat intelligenceTechnique prioritization |
| spellingShingle | Alshaimaa Abo-alian Mahmoud Youssef Nagwa L. Badr A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation Scientific Reports Adversary emulation Active directory security MITRE ATT&CK Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Threat intelligence Technique prioritization |
| title | A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| title_full | A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| title_fullStr | A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| title_short | A data-driven approach to prioritize MITRE ATT&CK techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| title_sort | data driven approach to prioritize mitre att ck techniques for active directory adversary emulation |
| topic | Adversary emulation Active directory security MITRE ATT&CK Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Threat intelligence Technique prioritization |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12948-x |
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