InfoSecBulletin Cybersecurity for mankind
MITRE launched D3FENDTM 1.0, a cybersecurity framework that provides a vocabulary and understanding of the cyber domain. D3FEND 1.0, funded by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Defense, offers a flexible and user-friendly framework for cybersecurity operations and strategic decision-making.
D3FEND was initially released as a beta in June 2021 and has since developed significantly over three years, tripling its semantic graph. This growth is the result of collaboration among experts from government and industry, including security architects and detection engineers, leading to the launch of a large, use case-driven model.
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“With D3FEND, we are leaning forward with the greater cybersecurity community,” said Wen Masters, vice president, cyber technologies, MITRE. “D3FEND 1.0 reflects the collective expertise and vision of a diverse cybersecurity community. It’s more than just a tool—it’s a pathway to smarter, more nuanced defensive strategies. Our goal is to ensure D3FEND is adaptable and valuable across a wide range of cybersecurity domains.”
“D3FEND is effectively a model for what cyber defenders are doing in their day-to-day activities, but it’s trying to establish a common language for those activities and the system components to which they apply,” said Peter Kaloroumakis, principal applied ontologist, MITRE. “Even though D3FEND focuses on technology, it’s really solving a human problem. Getting everyone on the same page with a common language and Rosetta Stone is essential for doing in-depth, strategic analysis on your investments and building secure systems.”
Key Features and Enhancements in D3FEND 1.0
Cyber Attack-Defense (CAD) Tool: CAD allows D3FEND users to apply the entire ontology to their cybersecurity scenarios by dragging, dropping, and linking nodes on a canvas. Users can right-click to explore D3FEND’s inference and share their graphs online or on private networks.
D3FEND 1.0 improves defensive techniques with new additions for identity and access control, operational technology, and source code hardening. It also incorporates the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE™) for better vulnerability modeling.
Ontological Precision & Extensibility: D3FEND 1.0, built on OWL 2 DL, includes core classes for compatibility with major ontologies, enhancing its semantic applications. It also offers a content-lifecycle strategy for easy updates, helping users and developers adapt to changes.
“This milestone is not an end—it’s a beginning, and we are just getting started,” said Kaloroumakis. “We’re committed to ongoing engagement with the cybersecurity community to refine and expand the framework, ensuring it meets the demands of an increasingly sophisticated landscape.”
MITRE invites cyber engineers and industry professionals to engage with D3FEND 1.0, as community involvement is crucial for its success. D3FEND continues MITRE’s tradition of providing innovative, open-source cybersecurity tools.
