MITRE has released ATT&CK v20, expanding its widely used cybersecurity framework to reflect how attackers now exploit artificial intelligence, evade multi-factor authentication (MFA), and target operational technology in critical infrastructure. The update adds nine new Enterprise techniques and sub-techniques, alongside significant changes to the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) domain.
The most notable Enterprise additions focus on AI abuse. MITRE now distinguishes between direct prompt injection, where malicious instructions are typed into an LLM interface, and indirect prompt injection, where harmful instructions are hidden in content the model processes. The framework also documents attackers using an organization’s own AI agents to steal data, poisoning web content to manipulate AI search or assistant recommendations, and disrupting LLM-based malware analysis.
Defenses must evolve with new threats
ATT&CK v20 also addresses authentication and bot defenses. A new technique covers the theft of application-specific passwords, which can let attackers sign in without triggering an MFA prompt. Another tracks CAPTCHA bypass, including automated solving and methods for avoiding the checks altogether. MITRE additionally expanded coverage of compromised software dependencies and development tools to include IDE and coding-agent configuration files.
In the ICS domain, MITRE added a campaign involving attacks on internet-exposed programmable logic controllers at more than 30 water and wastewater utilities in Minnesota, which locked operators out of their systems. Although some reporting has linked the broader activity to Iranian-affiliated actors, MITRE says attribution for the Minnesota intrusions remains unconfirmed. A second campaign describes an AI-assisted breach of Mexican government institutions that crossed IT and OT environments and reached a municipal water utility.
The release also refreshes threat-actor intelligence and detection guidance. MITRE added Nimbus Manticore, an IRGC-associated espionage group targeting aerospace, defense, and telecom organizations, while updating entries for Salt Typhoon and APT38. Defenders receive 15 new detection strategies—six for Enterprise and nine for ICS—supported by 38 analytics, with the ICS analytics designed to avoid flagging routine engineering and maintenance activity.
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