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Case study

MAIRE Group: Replacing Theoretical Confidence with Proven Anti-Fragility

In our industrial context, the issue wasnʼt missing technology. It was the lack of strategic visibility and measurable control over cyber risk,ˮ said Andrea Licciardi, Senior Cybersecurity Manager at MAIRE Group."

Challenges & Results

  • Challenge: Limited visibility into control effectiveness

    Result: Gained continuous, measurable insight into real-world defense performance

  • Challenge: Undetected misconfigurations creating risk

    Result: Found and fixed hidden weaknesses missed by traditional tools

  • Challenge: Lack of demonstrated cybersecurity maturity for compliance

    Result: Aligned with frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK and ISO/IEC 27001

  • Challenge: Silos slowing response and accountability

    Result: Boosted collaboration across security, IT, and business withshared metrics

  • Challenge: Resource allocation without performance validation

    Result: Maximized ROI by optimizing tools and prioritizing high-impact fixes

  • Challenge: Reactive measures limiting innovation and growth

    Result: Built a proactive cybersecurity culture that strengthens over time

  • Challenge: Overwhelm from theoretical vulnerabilities and risk scores

    Result: Used Exposure Validation to focus on exploitable risks andprioritize fixes

The Challenge

The Gap Between "Paper" Security and Reality

In their industrial context, the primary issue was not a lack of technology, but a lack of strategic visibility and measurable control over cyber risk. Even with a mature Cyber Fusion Center and an extensive toolset, the security team had no consistent method to measure how their defenses would actually perform under real-world attack conditions. This created a reliance on theoretical risk scores and maturity guesses that did not reflect the true performance of their security controls.

For MAIRE, traditional security snapshots like penetration tests and vulnerability scans were insufficient because they provided only point-in-time feedback. These methods failed to uncover hidden misconfigurations or deliver the real-time feedback necessary for constant improvement. This led to a "paper vs. reality" problem, where tools and settings that appeared to be properly configured on paper proved ineffective when tested against actual, modern adversary techniques. Furthermore, internal silos were slowing response times and hindering accountability across the organization.

The Solution

Validating the Attack Surface and Paths

Rather than simply expanding their security stack with another prevention tool, MAIRE Group chose the Picus Security Validation Platform to continuously test and strengthen their existing defenses. They began by implementing Security Control Validation (SCV) to establish a baseline of defense. This allowed them to test their environment against a constantly updated threat library, exposing gaps in controls that seemed properly configured but were ultimately ineffective.

To gain deeper visibility, MAIRE expanded its strategy into Attack Path Validation (APV). By simulating attacker movement, credential compromise, and data exfiltration, the team could visualize and prioritize the most dangerous internal attack paths and critical chokepoints. This multi-layered approach provided the team with MITRE ATT&CK mappings and tailored remediation guidance, allowing them to act quickly and confidently to close blind spots. This transformation allowed every simulation to become a deliberate act of growth, where the team learned from threats to become stronger.

Absolutely, I would recommend Picus. But more than that, I recommend the mindset it brings. Picus is not just a tool. Itʼs a different way of thinking about cybersecurity."

The Outcome

From Reactive Measures to Strategic Excellence

By integrating Picus into their Cyber Risk Operation Center (CROC), MAIRE Group shifted from a reactive posture to a data-driven model of cybersecurity maturity. This transition allowed them to replace theoretical risk scores with validated evidence, enabling them to fix hidden weaknesses missed by traditional tools and reduce false confidence through continuous validation. The results were measurable: they boosted collaboration across security, IT, and business units using shared metrics and maximized their ROI by optimizing existing tools.

Beyond technical metrics, the mindset at MAIRE underwent a significant shift, where security became a strategic enabler that unlocked value through trust and operational excellence. Their defenses now align with global frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK and ISO/IEC 27001, providing boards and auditors with the evidence of security effectiveness they require. As Senior Cybersecurity Manager Andrea Licciardi noted, the platform helped the team shift from +perception to validation and from reaction to evolution, turning every simulation into an opportunity to adapt and improve.

What Our Customers Say

  • It is no different from a Magician. Ever since we took Picus into our inventory, it has helped significantly to increase our maturity level.

    IT Security and Risk Management- Energy and Utilities Industry

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  • Picus completes the task it is required to do perfect as a BAS solution. Threat database is up to date & updated frequently after a new malware or campaign.

    IT Security Engineer - Banking

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  • Using Picus, we can conduct risk analysis about possible attacks for their impact on people, processes and technology layers.

    IT Manager - Healthcare and Biotech Industry

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  • A very successful platform where we can test the accuracy of our security investments and see their scores.

    Manager, IT Security and Risk Management - Manufacturing

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  • Picus is very good attack simulation tool in overall. It shows all security vulnerabilities and guides..

    Sr. Information Security & Risk Officer - Banking

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  • There is a very nice team from which I can get quick support. The application provides us with great convenience and confidence in our work.

    Information Security Specialist - Transportation

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  • We've been using product for seven years. It's very useful and easily integrated with the network environment and security products.

    System Engineer - IT Services

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  • If you have a complex environment and not enough human resource, Picus will help you to prioritize your tasks with its extended detection capabilities.

    IT Specialist - Insurance

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  • We have been using Picus more than 1,5 years, we can truly say this product gives us every aspect of our protection. Its suggestions save our times and show us how we are ready for upcoming threats.

    CIO - Banking

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  • It helped us a lot in detecting faulty configurations and troubleshooting. It also gave us an idea about the investments we are planning to make.

    IT Security and Risk Management - Retail

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Resources

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