Quick Take
CISA has launched a free, open-source Eviction Strategies Tool that gives CIOs a practical way to speed up incident response. By auto-building tailored playbooks, it helps security teams contain and remove attackers with less guesswork and more structure.
Why You Should Care
Incident response (IR) often breaks down at the eviction stage, when defenders need to root out attackers without leaving cracks for reentry. That process is slow, inconsistent, and highly dependent on staff expertise. CISA, in collaboration with MITRE, is trying to change that. Their new Eviction Strategies Tool blends two assets: Playbook-NG, a stateless web application that builds eviction playbooks on the fly, and COUN7ER, a curated database of over 100 post-compromise countermeasures mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, D3FEND, and CWE.
The tool lets defenders enter TTP IDs, standardized “labels” for attacker behaviors, or simple text descriptions of suspicious activity and instantly receive recommended countermeasures, exportable in Word, Excel, JSON, or markdown. Templates for common campaigns accelerate response during crises or exercises. By design, Playbook-NG clears all user data once sessions end, but saved JSON files can be reloaded for updates, keeping plans fresh with evolving threat intel.
CISA positions this as a way to “level the playing field” for organizations without dedicated threat-hunting teams. In practice, it gives even smaller shops a structured approach to removing sophisticated actors like APT29 or Volt Typhoon. With attacks increasing in persistence and complexity, lowering the barrier to effective eviction planning directly reduces attacker dwell time, potential damage, and compliance exposure.
What You Should Do Next
- Direct security teams to pilot the tool and generate eviction playbooks tailored to likely threats in your sector.
- Incorporate exports into tabletop exercises and IR documentation.
- Submit structured feedback to CISA to help shape future iterations for enterprise needs.
Get Started
- Bookmark and deploy the Eviction Strategies Tool in your IR workflows.
- Align outputs with existing MITRE ATT&CK mapping in your Security Operations Center (SOC).
- Run tabletop drills with generated playbooks.
- Task teams to provide real-world feedback to CISA.