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Security Operations · Advanced

Adversary Emulation

Testing defenses by replicating the specific TTPs of a known threat actor.

Definition

Adversary emulation plans, such as those from MITRE Center for Threat-Informed Defense, describe step-by-step behaviors of groups like APT29 or FIN6. Tools such as MITRE Caldera automate emulation. It validates whether defenses work against threats relevant to the organization.

Example

Running a FIN7 emulation plan with Caldera to test retail POS environment defenses.

Exam tip

Emulation mimics a specific actor; simulation may use generic techniques.

Related terms