On July 30 2025, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) unveiled the Eviction Strategies Tool—a free, open‑source resource that fills one of incident response’s biggest gaps: knowing exactly when and how to push an attacker off your network without making things worse.
👉 Explore the tool: CISA Eviction Strategies Tool
What’s Inside the Tool?
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Playbook‑NG | Web app that converts observed attacker tactics (or ATT&CK IDs) into a step‑by‑step eviction plan. |
| COUNTER | Library of atomic, post‑compromise countermeasures mapped to real adversary behaviors for precise containment. |
Together they deliver a tailored, exportable playbook you can drop straight into your IR process—no spreadsheets required.
Why It Matters
- Bridges the “contain vs. evict” gap. Detection is only half the battle; this tool guides the crucial timing and actions for eviction.
- Aligns with NIST SP 800‑61 Rev. 3. Its workflow mirrors the containment–eradication–recovery life cycle recommended by NIST.
- Maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK. Playbook‑NG ingests ATT&CK technique IDs, so you pivot from detection to response in minutes.
- Open‑source under the MIT license. Fork it, audit it, improve it—no vendor lock‑in.
How Playbook‑NG Works
- Paste findings. Drop raw text, log snippets, or ATT&CK IDs into the interface.
- Match to countermeasures. The tool suggests precise actions—disable a malicious account, rotate AD credentials, isolate a VM, and more.
- Export & share. One click yields JSON, Word, Excel, or Markdown playbooks for ticketing systems or tabletop drills.
Quick‑Start Resources
- Official overview and user guide – CISA resource page
- Source code and Docker build – Playbook‑NG on GitHub
- Incident‑handling best practices – NIST SP 800‑61 Rev. 3
How Forestal Security Adds Value
- Integration & Automation – We wire Playbook‑NG into your SIEM/SOAR so detections auto‑generate eviction playbooks.
- Customization – We enrich COUNTER with org‑specific controls (Ivanti patch jobs, Entra ID actions, and more).
- Tabletop Exercises – Quarterly drills validate that every stakeholder knows the plan before real stress hits.
- 24/7 Support – When “contain” turns to “evict,” our responders guide the process end‑to‑end.
Key Takeaways
- Free doesn’t mean basic—the tool encodes years of adversary‑engagement experience.
- Speed plus precision equals less dwell time and lower remediation costs.
- Open source fosters community updates so countermeasures stay current.
FAQs
What problem does the Eviction Strategies Tool solve?
It gives incident responders an evidence‑based playbook for safely containing and removing intruders—eliminating the “now what?” that follows detection.
Is COUNTER just a list of generic tips?
No. Each action is mapped to a specific MITRE ATT&CK technique, so you counter exactly what the attacker is doing.
How does this align with industry standards?
The workflow mirrors NIST SP 800‑61’s containment‑eradication‑recovery phases and leverages the MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base for context.
Do small businesses really need this?
Yes—playbooks scale down easily and reduce the “analysis‑paralysis” that can overwhelm small IT teams.
How quickly can Forestal Security deploy it?
Most clients are live within a week, including playbook customization and a tabletop validation exercise.
Is it safe to upload sensitive logs?
Playbook‑NG is stateless; nothing is stored server‑side, and you can run it locally via the open‑source Docker build.
Have questions or need help building your first eviction playbook? Reach out to Forestal Security—let’s kick those hackers out for good.
