The 2023 MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK Evaluation results were recently released, and out of 29 participating cybersecurity vendors, only one delivered 100% protection and 100% analytic coverage with zero configuration changes and zero delayed detections.

Many cybersecurity analysts familiar with ATT&CK evaluations have heard claims of 100% security from many participating vendors, but once you dig down, it becomes clear that these solutions have at least one detection and/or prevention event. Only one vendor is exempt of this, but you will have to wait for that reveal. For now, let’s summarize who MITRE is and why this annual evaluation is so incredibly relevant.

What Is The MITRE Framework?

Organized by the MITRE Corporation, this globally recognized knowledge base stands for Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge. It catalogs cyber adversary tactics and techniques drawn from real-life observations, essentially serving as a comprehensive “playbook” that offers insights into the strategies of cyber adversaries and their attack methodologies. Just like a head coach and their players must be in synch with their team’s offensive and defensive playbook, security analysts must thoroughly understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) detailed in the MITRE framework. Presently, the framework encompasses over 500 distinct TTPs employed by identified threat groups.

The is extensively utilized by internal teams, security operations centers (SOC), managed security service providers (MSSPs), product vendors, researchers, and red team personnel. Rather than solely relying on signature identifiers, the framework emphasizes the behavior patterns of an attack. This is key because as attackers continually evolve their tactics, signature-based defenses often lag in detection and prevention.

The MITRE ATT&CK framework is a dynamic, constantly updated resource that keeps pace with these evolving TTPs to provide organizations with current information critical for maintaining a secure IT landscape.

What Are The MITRE Enterprise ATT&CK Evaluations?

The MITRE Enterprise ATT&CK Evaluations are annual assessments designed to assess the effectiveness of cybersecurity products against known TTPs, all of which are outlined in the ATT&CK framework. During the MITRE Enterprise ATT&CK Evaluations, products from participating security vendors undergo a sequence of rigorous tests designed to emulate the tactics of established threat groups. MITRE’s Engenuity red teams orchestrate these simulated attacks, challenging cybersecurity solution providers to showcase their product’s capabilities in three key areas:

1. Visibility: Assessing the extent of a solution’s observational scope.
2. Detection: Evaluating the solution’s ability to accurately recognize malicious actions.
3. Prevention And Response: Determining how effectively a solution can prevent and react to these threats.

The outcomes of these evaluations offer valuable insights into each product’s proficiency in identifying, blocking, and reacting to simulated attacks that mirror real-world scenarios. It is important to note that these evaluations are not competitive in nature. Rather, their focus is to provide clarity and insight into the real-world effectiveness of security products. MITRE Engenuity does not assign scores, rankings, or ratings and leaves evaluation results to be sorted out by the public.

2023 marked the fifth iteration of this event as the MITRE Engenuity red team chose to emulate Turla, a highly sophisticated and well-resourced Russian threat group. Turla’s victims span more than 45 countries, and targets have included government agencies, military groups, diplomatic missions, and research/media organizations.

Turla’s covert exfiltration tactics, custom rootkits, elaborate command-and-control network infrastructure, and deception tactics made it a sophisticated option for the MITRE evaluation. Kudos goes to the entire MITRE Engenuity team for executing this emulation, as 2023 was significantly more challenging than past years were.

Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex XDR Shines In MITRE Evaluation

It is normal protocol for many vendors to proclaim success after completing this rigorous, annual evaluation, but only Cortex XDR from Palo Alto Networks (the same technology that Cortex XSIAM is built on) demonstrated 100% analytic detection and prevention without the need of any configuration changes or delays.

A blue team was assigned the task of protecting against the red team’s tactics using the solutions provided by participants. In the case of Cortex XDR, they deployed the Cortex XDR Pro for Endpoint agent on both Windows and Linux endpoints. No additional solutions were deployed. Other than the enabling of malicious file quarantining and the option to treat grayware as malware, Cortex XDR was configured with default, fresh-out-of-the-box settings. No special steps were taken by the blue team.

Out of the 29 vendors participating, Cortex XDR uniquely identified all 143 techniques and successfully countered 129 attack steps, a testament to its robust protection capabilities. This impressive performance underscores Cortex XDR’s potential in helping security teams defend enterprises and manage service clients against the dynamic and evolving threat landscape. You can read more about Cortex’s dominant performance in the 2023 evaluation .

If Cortex can achieve perfection under the most demanding of circumstance with zero configuration changes, imagine how it could aid your enterprise’s cybersecurity team against the evolving threat landscape. If you want to learn more about how Cortex XDR can secure your own enterprise, contact a WEI cybersecurity specialist today. 

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WEI is proud to announce we have been awarded the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Contract ITC73 for Information Technology Hardware, Project Management, Integration and Maintenance.

The ITC73 contact will be in place for seven years and expires in 2028.

As a result of being awarded this contract, eligible government organizations in Massachusetts can purchase a full range of technology services from WEI. The list includes:

• Cities, towns, districts, counties and other political subdivisions
• Executive, legislative and judicial branches, including all departments and elected offices therein
• Independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies
• Local public libraries, public school districts and charter schools
• Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth
• Public institutions of higher education
• Public purchasing cooperatives
• Non-profits that are doing business with the Commonwealth
• Other states and territories with no prior approval by the State Purchasing Agent
• Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent

“As a provider of industry-leading IT solutions for over 30 years, we are excited to offer our IT services to a wide range of organizations within Massachusetts,” said Belisario Rosas, President and Founder of WEI. “This contract demonstrates our commitment to providing only the highest quality IT solutions for our clients.”

Eligible organizations within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will benefit from WEI’s approach to providing technological solutions with our award-winning value-added IT services. Since no two entities have the same needs, WEI tailors custom solutions and processes to suit these individual requirements, including desired goal, budget, space and power needed, time frame, and the number of required personnel.

Partner with WEI on your next technology initiative

WEI is an expert in business technology, helping clients optimize their technology environments and work efficiently. WEI works with clients to integrate corporate strategy, new technologies, and their current IT environment into one company-wide model to increase utilization and efficiencies around their unique business processes.

WEI is committed to designing and delivering the most innovative IT solutions possible; building intentional, enduring relationships; and doing what’s right for customers, colleagues, and the community.

Contact WEI to start a conversation today.

Learn why WEI’s IT services are a cut above other VARs in this video.

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The award recognizes the achievements of leading channel partners and distributors for , in the areas of sales, expertise in delivering Aruba solutions, and commitment to customer service.

WEI has been committed to investing in Aruba’s full solution products such as IntroSpect and ClearPass, as well as being dedicated to bringing on board top talent who are well versed in Aruba’s offerings. This award demonstrates WEI’s commitment to helping our clients adapt to a new style of the digital workplace: mobile, portable, social, app driven and connected at all times. WEI’s networking team of engineers have extensive experience with the following Aruba solutions:

• Policy Manager
• Aruba Mobility Controllers and Access Points
• Aruba Next Generation Access and Aggregation Switches
• Aruba IntroSpect User Entity Behavior Analytics
• Aruba NetInsight Wireless Insight and Analytics
• , with the Meridian Mobile App platform, Bluetooth Beacons, Asset Tags, Sensors and Analytics

Regarding WEI’s award, Jim Harold, Vice President of North America channels for Aruba, said, “As organizations wrestle with enhancing the user experience and ensuring business resilience as they continue to adopt mobility, cloud and IoT, they need not just access to industry-leading intelligent edge solutions, but also expertise in how to deploy these products to solve real-world challenges. We congratulate WEI for being named a 2018 Aruba Top Channel Partner and thank them for their dedication to their customers’ success.”

“We are honored to have been distinguished as the 2018 East Region Partner of the Year by Aruba. I attribute this honor to my dedicated team members and to the success and trust of our valued clients and customers,” said WEI Founder, Belisario Rosas.

This award is a great honor for WEI, a true testament to our dedication of putting the customer’s needs first through understanding their unique organizations and offering the best solutions available on the market, like ClearPass and IntroSpect. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Aruba, and look forward to our future partnership with them.

Are you experiencing challenges with implementing a digital workplace? Want to learn more about the security features that are built-in to Aruba solutions? Contact us today to find out how WEI is helping our clients deliver 24×7 secure connectivity with Aruba solutions. Also, Check out our blog post about what makes life at WEI so special!

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As a minority-owned business in Salem, NH, it has been a core tenet of our culture to embrace diversity in the workplace and support diversity in our community. Last week, at the National Minority Supplier Development Council Annual conference (NMSDC), WEI received the National Supplier of the Year award in the class IV category!

This highly coveted award helps solidify our position among an elite group of minority-owned businesses who are making a substantial effort in promoting the success that can be achieved when working with diverse suppliers.

A special thank you is owed to for nominating WEI for this distinguished honor; and also to , who welcomed our company into their very own booth at the conference exhibition to illustrate the success that is possible when working with a minority-owned business that shares mutual corporate values.

According to the NMSDC, the Supplier of the Year award “Recognizes Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises for their business growth and development, operational success, support of other minority businesses and active participation in the community.”

The National Minority Supplier Development Council

WEI also recently attended the NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange, the nation’s premier forum on minority supplier development. The NMSDC organization sets out to celebrate minority and women-owned businesses that are making great strides in the global corporate supply chain. The conference spanned four days and included more than 6,000 diverse suppliers nationwide spanning from corporate CEOs, to procurement executives and supplier diversity professionals. The annual conference provides an opportunity for business leader and diverse suppliers to network, share intelligence, and focus on four key areas: Certify, Develop, Connect and Advocate.

The NMSDC is a one-of-a-kind event that includes:

• Thousands of top corporate executives and minority business owners
• At least 20 targeted sessions and hands-on workshops
• A Business Opportunity Exchange expo with more than 700 exhibit booths
• A black-tie awards banquet
• Unparalleled networking opportunities

The NMSDC Supplier of the Year Award

There are four categories of NMSDC Supplier of the Year, based on annual sales; one company from each class is honored with the recognition. They include:

• Class I: For firms with less than $1 million in sales
• Class II: For firms with $1 million to $10 million in sales
• Class III: For firms with $10 million to $50 million in sales
• Class IV: For firms with more than $50 million in sales

As NMSDC explains, “These minority businesses have distinguished themselves by successfully demonstrating growth in sales and employment while overcoming significant obstacles, consistently providing high quality products, services and solutions at competitive prices, and significantly contributing to the growth and development of their communities. The corporations exhibit extraordinary support of and positive impact on minority supplier development in various areas, including the implementation and maintenance of world-class minority supplier development processes, providing access to capital and sourcing minority suppliers in non-traditional categories.”

WEI is proud to be a top national technology solutions provider with a commitment to supply chain responsibility, minority empowerment, and environmental and social responsibility. We were also recently named the 2016 Supplier of the Year by the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC).

Our clients benefit from a strong focus on customer satisfaction and attention to detail. We combine new technology with architectural design, value-added services, onsite training, integration, testing labs and a commitment to quality. To learn more about our cutting-edge technology solutions, click here to view our video. You can also learn more about what the NMSDC had to say about this year’s Supplier of the Year award nominees here. As always, we remain committed to our clients and help them solve business problems every step of the way. for details.

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Our work for CVS Health began a few years ago with the addition of inexpensive keyboards and memory DIMMs, but the partnership has evolved into several collaborative and custom IT solutions. Now, WEI is one of CVS’ primary partners and vendors.

Our innovative New England technology team is always available and willing to go above and beyond for clients and partners. The work with CVS Health brought several IT visionaries to China in search of new solutions and fixes for complex issues. To quote WEI’s CEO, Belisario Rosas, in his award acceptance speech, “I really want to thank CVS for this award, but I especially want to thank the WEI team, because they’re the ones that make this possible.”

The work our company did for CVS Health also helped to earn us MBE Member of the Week by the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC). The WEI team is beyond grateful for the recognition and already looking ahead to more challenging, exciting projects with CVS Health.

For more information about WEI and our work with CVS Health, check out . If you’d like to learn more about our , please contact us today.

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We are excited to share an award we just received from The Channel Company: the esteemed 2015 CRN Fewer than 60 North American solution providers had the necessary revenue, business growth and technical expertise to be recognized on three of CRN’s pre-eminent solution provider lists, earning the CRN Triple Crown Award this year. WEI is honored to be the top commercially-focused New England-based distinguished as a Triple Crown award-winning business.

WEI Wins: Solution Provider 500, Fast Growth 150, Tech Elite 250

CRN assembles lists and rankings each year to recognize solution providers who are setting the bar in the IT industry, including the Solution Provider 500, which lists the largest providers in North America by revenue; the , which ranks the fastest-growing companies; and the , which recognizes businesses that have received the highest level certifications from leading vendors.

It is a considerable achievement for an IT solution provider to make any one of these lists. To make it onto all three, however, as WEI has done this year, a company must simultaneously have enough revenue to be ranked on the Solution Provider 500 list, record double or triple-digit growth for recognition on the Fast Growth 150 and invest heavily in top certifications to attain Tech Elite 250 status.

We love helping our clients benefit from sizing and architectural design capability, value-added services, onsite training, integration, testing labs and a commitment to quality. From solution design through implementation, our sales and technical teams remain focused on providing unwavering support throughout a project.

Showcased in the December issue, the CRN Triple Crown list can be previewed at . If you’d like more information about WEI’s services, or to learn how their revolutionary IT solutions can impact your business growth, visit www.WEI.com.

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