Starting with this release, there is a split in versioning between the ATLAS Knowledge Base content and the ATLAS Data Format. Monthly ATLAS content releases will follow a YYYY.MM.N versioning scheme with the version stored in the Collection object. ATLAS data format changes will follow semantic versioning. Previously, changes to either content or format were conflated in a single SemVer version.
Content v2026.05
- All techniques are updated to include one or more platforms (Predictive AI, Generative AI, Agentic AI, Enterprise).
Format v6.0.0
- Introduced a new ATLAS YAML format (v6.0.0)
- stronger consistency, normalized object modeling, and first-class relationship representation
- added platforms field to techniques
- Added full validation and data management tooling
- Pydantic schemas for strict schema validation
- SQLAlchemy ORM models for persistent versioned content management
- FastAPI REST API for managing and updating ATLAS data
- Removed the old workflow for constructing ATLAS.yaml
- Added/updated downstream generation scripts for STIX, Excel, and Navigator outputs
- centralized all downstream scripts to the atlas-data repository
- Added a test suite for the API
- Migrated and preserved historical ATLAS releases:
- historical content retained under dist/legacy/
- historical releases migrated into the v6 structure (dist/v6/)
- release/version mapping tracked in manifest
- deprecated ATLAS.yaml
ATLAS v6 data model
The v6 format introduces substantial structural improvements:
- Added new field to techniques that denotes the platform(s) the adversary is operating in
- Standardized top-level export model around:
- collection, matrix
- keyed maps for tactics, techniques, mitigations, case-studies.
- centralized relationships map for easier downstream consumption.
- Enforced consistency in object typing and identity:
- common field names across object types.
- computed UUID behavior tied to stable IDs.
- canonical ID patterns per object type.
- strict object-type enums.
- Elevated relationships to first-class objects with typed semantics:
- sequences, achieves, specializes, mitigates, employs.
- support for relationship metadata like position, tactic, step-id, leads-to, and descriptions.
- Cleaned and normalized reference handling and serialization behavior.
- Improved date handling/constraints and enum ordering consistency.
API, database, and validation
- Added FastAPI app entrypoint and route structure for:
- version lifecycle management.
- version-scoped CRUD across collection, matrix, tactics, techniques, mitigations, and case studies.
- YAML export endpoint for a selected version.
- Added SQLAlchemy model layer with:
- version-aware object storage.
- relationship table and integrity constraints.
- derived ORM properties for graph-style access patterns.
- Added script to populate DB from ATLAS YAML v6.
- Normalized export behavior for deterministic output.
Tools for downstream asset generation
- Updated STIX generation with maturity filtering and improved compatibility options.
- Updated Navigator layer generation for matrix and case-study visualizations.
- Updated Excel generation workflow for generating workbook artifacts.
- Consolidated scripts into tools/ directory (from other repositories).
- Added CI/release workflows for publishing YAML/STIX/Navigator/Excel artifacts.
Testing
- Added integration tests for API behavior and data round-tripping.
- Updated CI workflows and validation checks.
- Refactored test structure to align with the new architecture.