Atomic Red Team vs Picus Security Platform

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.

Picus Security Platform helps security teams validate attack surfaces, exposures, and security controls to prioritize risks and remediation. It simulates attacks against controls such as EDR, SIEM, firewalls, WAFs, and email gateways, then supports remediation and retesting. The platform combines automated penetration testing, breach and attack simulation, and exposure validation. Its threat library contains more than 30,000 TTPs and thousands of scenarios; critical new simulations are added under a 24-hour SLA. AI Threat Builder converts inputs such as a blog URL, PDF, CVE ID, or threat actor name into an ATT&CK-mapped simulation. Picus says it integrates with more than 75 security technologies. Deployment options include SaaS, on-premises, and fully air-gapped environments, with yearly subscriptions and unlimited simulations. Pricing is available on request, and a 14-day free trial is listed. The trial includes one simulation agent, a ransomware-only library, and recommendations for one technology. After the trial, recurring simulations stop and simulation results are no longer accessible.