Leveraging MITRE ATT&CK for ICS Threat Detection: A Deep Dive for Critical Infrastructure Professionals

Introduction

The industrial landscape is undergoing rapid convergence of traditional Operational Technology (OT) environments and modern Information Technology (IT) ecosystems. This fusion presents unprecedented opportunities alongside emergent security risks. For CISOs, IT Directors, Network Engineers, and Operators, effective threat detection is essential—not just for compliance, but for the resilience of services that underpin critical infrastructure.

One framework that has gained prominence in recent years is the MITRE ATT&CK for ICS (Industrial Control Systems), an expansion of the original ATT&CK knowledge base focused specifically on the tactics and techniques adversaries use in industrial settings. In this article, we’ll explore how to operationalize ATT&CK for ICS, with precision focus on threat detection, practical implementation, and the critical necessity of collaborative IT/OT security practices.

Historical Context: From IT ATT&CK to ICS ATT&CK

The MITRE ATT&CK framework originated in 2013 as a curated knowledge base cataloguing real-world observed adversary tactics and techniques within enterprise networks. Recognizing the nuanced differences between IT and OT environments, MITRE released ATT&CK for ICS in 2020, tailored for the unique architectures, devices, and protocols ubiquitous in energy, manufacturing, utility, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Key Differences:

• ICS ATT&CK embraces the priorities of safety, availability, and system integrity, with less emphasis on confidentiality than its IT-focused counterpart.

• ICS assets are often legacy—designed in eras predating cybersecurity, running for decades, with operating paradigms (determinism, real-time constraints) foreign to modern IT.

• Attack surfaces in ICS include field devices (PLCs, RTUs, HMIs) and proprietary industrial protocols, setting them apart from general-purpose compute environments.

Anatomy of MITRE ATT&CK for ICS: Knowledge Model Overview

MITRE ATT&CK for ICS comprises:

• Tactics: The adversary’s high-level objectives (e.g., Initial Access, Inhibit Response Function, Impact)

• Techniques (and Sub-Techniques): How adversaries pursue their objectives (e.g., Valid Accounts, Modify Controller Tasking)

• Procedures: Real-world attack implementations (e.g., Industroyer, TRITON/TRISIS campaigns)

This modularity enables security teams to map threats in a granular fashion—vital for both detection and response efforts.

Aligning Detection Strategy with ATT&CK: Practical Recommendations

1. Asset and Data Flow Mapping

Before integrating ATT&CK, organizations must possess an up-to-date asset inventory across IT and OT boundaries. Understand which assets are in scope for ICS tactics and where data traverses IT/OT demilitarized zones (DMZs). Without this baseline, detection and response rely on dangerous assumptions.

2. Prioritize and Customize Technique Coverage

Not every ATT&CK technique is relevant to every environment. Review your industrial control network’s architecture and identify assets and functions most susceptible to compromise (e.g., safety instrumented systems, engineering workstations). Prioritize ATT&CK techniques targeting these resources.

Building detection rules (via SIEM, IDS/IPS, or proprietary solutions) should align with those prioritized techniques. For example:

• Protocol Analysis: Monitor for unauthorized Modbus or DNP3 function codes (e.g., Force Listen Only Mode, Write Single Coil).

• Anomalous Task Download: Alert on programming or configuration changes to PLCs outside authorized maintenance windows.

• Unauthorized Remote Access: Correlate RDP or VNC access against engineering shift changeover logs.

3. Utilize the ICS-Related ATT&CK Navigator

The MITRE ATT&CK Navigator is a visual analytic tool for mapping detection, coverage, and gaps. For ICS, excercise use-cases such as:

• Red Team and Purple Team Exercises: Emulate adversary campaigns (e.g., BlackEnergy3, Industroyer2) step-by-step for validation of detection coverage.

• Gap Analysis: Identify techniques not covered by current instrumentation, and prioritize next steps.

4. Integrate ATT&CK with Existing Security Operations

Many environments already deploy anomaly- or signature-based IDS (e.g., Snort, Zeek, Suricata, or Nozomi). Map alerts to ATT&CK techniques—consider investing in threat intelligence platforms (TIP) or SIEM connectors that support granular mapping and enrichment, such as Security Operations Center (SOC) playbooks aligned with ATT&CK for ICS.

IT/OT Collaboration: The Critical Factor

ICS defense is not simply an exercise in technology—it is organizational as well. Traditional silos between IT and OT must be bridged deliberately:

• Common Vocabulary: Adopt ATT&CK nomenclature during tabletop exercises and joint incident response planning—this enables meaningful dialogue and reduces ambiguity.

• Training and Awareness: Engage both IT and OT practitioners in joint red/blue team drills using real ATT&CK-based scenarios.

• Process Integration: Ensure incident detection in OT networks is quickly escalated and contextualized for IT responders (and vice versa).

Challenges and Safe Adoption Considerations

• Legacy Constraints: Many ICS assets lack native security telemetry—forcing reliance on passive network monitoring and protocol decoding.

• Safety Impact: Aggressive detection (especially active probing or scanning) risks unintentional disruptions. Rules of engagement must be strictly defined.

• Limited Threat Intelligence: Industrial threat reporting is often less mature than enterprise IT. Augment ATT&CK knowledge with sector-specific information (e.g., DHS CISA Alerts, ISACs).

Conclusions—and the Road Ahead

The adaptation of the MITRE ATT&CK framework for industrial settings is a historic step forward in the defense of critical infrastructure. For those entrusted with securing process networks, ATT&CK for ICS is not a turnkey solution, but a foundation for structured, evidence-driven threat detection. Its greatest strengths are in facilitating cross-disciplinary collaboration and standardizing language for threats—a vital prerequisite to effective incident response.

To succeed, organizations must combine tailored detection techniques with frank interdepartmental communication and a relentless focus on safety and reliability. The journey is ongoing, but with ATT&CK as a compass, defenders are better equipped than ever to secure our most vital assets.

Further Reading and Annotation

• MITRE ATT&CK for ICS Portal

• CISA ICS Security Resources

• Dragos — ICS Threat Intelligence Reports

• SANS – ICS Incident Response Playbooks