Atomic Red Team vs Cymrix

Atomic Red Team is a free library of tests security teams can run to check controls, validate visibility, and assess detection coverage. Its tests emulate adversary behaviors and map to the MITRE ATT&CK matrix. They have few dependencies and use a structured format suited to automation frameworks. Invoke-AtomicRedTeam is a PowerShell module for testing defenses against attack techniques; it can run tests locally or on remote machines through PowerShell Remoting. Atomic Runner can run a configurable list unattended, once per week by default. The project includes a Ruby API to validate tests and generate documentation, and pulls ATT&CK data in STIX form. Listed integrations include Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, AttackIQ, Datadog Workload Security Evaluator, OpenBAS, Splunk Attack Range, and Tidal Cyber. Coverage includes Windows, Linux, macOS, cloud infrastructure, containers, SaaS, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Office 365, and IaaS providers. Tests can be chained manually, but there is no automated solution for emulating a specific attack group as a whole. Users are instructed to obtain permission from the environment owner before running a test.

Cymrix is a cloud, agent-based breach and attack simulation platform for measuring and improving cyber resilience. It simulates ransomware activity to assess prevention and detection tools, while Attack Path Validation uses the MITRE framework to discover and visualize routes an attacker could take through systems and accounts. Coverage includes networks, Windows Active Directory and IoT devices. The platform identifies exploitable vulnerabilities, incorrect configurations, obtainable credentials and product defaults. Reports show step-by-step lateral attack paths and offer guidance on data separation, network segmentation and user permissions. Deployment starts with a lightweight agent on a designated “Patient Zero” device. Its Ransomware Impact Assessment is a consultative engagement combining evaluation, training, customized simulations and reporting; simulations run across the cyber kill chain on one customer-selected Windows device. Listed uses include posture assessment, training, third-party risk, incident response testing and insurance-related ransomware assessment. Pricing is on request and there is no free plan.