MITRE Introduces EMB3D: A Threat Modeling Framework Designed for Embedded Devices


The MITRE Corporation has recently released a new threat-modeling framework, known as EMB3D, tailored for manufacturers of embedded devices utilized within critical infrastructure settings.

The EMB3D Threat Model provides a comprehensive database of cyber threats aimed at embedded devices, promoting a collective understanding of these risks and effective security measures to counter them.

EMB3D, akin to the ATT&CK framework, is designed as a dynamic tool, continuously evolving with updated threat information and mitigation strategies, specifically geared towards embedded devices. Its core objective is to furnish device manufacturers with a holistic view of vulnerabilities inherent in their technologies, alongside recommended security measures for addressing these weaknesses.

Similar to ATT&CK’s role in standardizing threat tracking and communication, EMB3D endeavors to serve as a central repository for understanding threats directed at embedded devices.

By integrating security considerations early in the design phase, EMB3D empowers ICS device manufacturers to proactively address evolving threats, resulting in inherently more secure products and reduced security overheads.

Through embracing a secure-by-design philosophy, EMB3D enables companies to release products with fewer exploitable vulnerabilities and default secure configurations, aligning with industry trends towards proactive security measures.

Research by Nozomi Networks highlights increasing adversary activity targeting industrial environments, emphasizing the critical need addressed by EMB3D in bolstering cybersecurity defenses across various sectors.

EMB3D offers a curated database of cyber threats targeting devices, aligning observed threats with device properties to aid in tailored threat modeling and recommending technical mitigations for enhanced device security.

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