Palo Alto Networks and Microsoft Featured in MITRE ATT&CK Evaluations 2026

Two cybersecurity industry leaders have announced their participation in the upcoming MITRE ATT&CK Evaluations, signalling a shift in how vendors validate security performance. Palo Alto Networks, a six-year veteran of the ATT&CK Evaluations, announced its withdrawal from this year’s testing cycle after delivering 100% technique-level detections in recent evaluations, while Microsoft also withdrew from the 2026 Evaluations, citing resource allocation priorities.

According to Palo Alto Networks, the decision allows the company to accelerate platform innovation in response to evolving threat landscapes, with Cortex XDR continuing to earn independent validation via third-party assessments such as AAA ratings and 100% ransomware prevention from SE Labs and unique dual certification from AV-Comparatives.

Both companies emphasised their respect for MITRE’s role in the cybersecurity ecosystem and pledged to pursue alternative independent assessments and real-world performance metrics. The announcements were published around 17 September 2025, reflecting broader trends in the industry toward diversifying security validation beyond traditional evaluation frameworks.