Using the cyber kill chain

The cyber kill chain, developed by Lockheed Martin, is a systematic model that outlines the stages of a cyber-attack from the initial reconnaissance to achieving the attacker’s objectives. It provides a structured framework for understanding the different steps an attacker may take during an intrusion, allowing organizations to improve their cybersecurity defenses. In a penetration test, the cyber kill chain is leveraged as a guiding principle to assess and enhance the security of an organization’s systems and networks. When using the cyber kill, it will also make use of the MITRE framework for a detailed description of the actions performed.

During a penetration test, ethical hackers, known as penetration testers or “white hat” hackers, simulate real-world cyber-attacks to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in an organization’s defenses. The cyber kill chain is employed as a methodology to replicate the steps that...