In the world of cybersecurity, Red Teaming is a force to be counted on to test and harden defenses through simulation of real attacks. Unlike traditional penetration testing, whose application is typically limited to specific systems or applications, Red Teaming is broader in scope and adversarial in nature. It tests an organisation’s security posture when it comes to people, processes, and technologies by simulating the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real attackers.
At its core, Red Teaming is to think as an adversary. It is designed to uncover hidden weaknesses by acting unpredictably, creatively, and tirelessly — as would an actual adversary. Red Teams are prone to employ techniques like social engineering, phishing, network vulnerability exploitation, and even physical penetration in a bid to achieve their objectives. The goal isn’t so much to find and exploit vulnerabilities as to also measure the effectiveness of detection, response, and recovery strategies.
Resulting from military training where specialized groups were assigned to challenge operational plans, Red Teaming has become widely used in the cybersecurity sector. Today, it is part of the process to help organizations build immunity against ever-evolving cyber attacks. It provides invaluable insights that cannot be gained through automated tools or typical audits.
An effective Red Team exercise can detect major flaws in defenses, improve incident response capabilities, and make stronger security policies. As cyber attacks grow in size and complexity, Red Teaming is now a necessity for organizations committed to safeguarding their assets, reputation, and business.
There, we shall delve deeper into Red Teaming — its methods, tools, case studies, challenges, and how it will shape the future of cybersecurity.
What is Red Teaming ?
Red Teaming is the practice of simulating real attacks on an organization to test its security posture, expose its weaknesses, and determine how effective its defenses are at responding to threats. A Red Team is a real adversary — using tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) exactly as a hacker, cybercrime actor, or nation-state threat actor — but in a controlled, authorized environment.
The primary aim of Red Teaming is not merely to reveal technical vulnerabilities, but to analyze the people, processes, and technologies of an organization as a whole. While traditional penetration testing is generally directed at specific systems or networks and is most focused on revealing technical vulnerabilities, Red Teaming is more holistic and adversarial in nature. Red Teaming places incident detection, response capability, and even decision-making under fire.
Red Teams typically use a mix of methods such as social engineering (phishing, impersonation), exploiting software or hardware vulnerabilities, lateral movement across networks, and occasionally even physical penetration attacks. The idea is to mimic the action of a real attacker and see how deep they could get and what type of havoc they would be able to cause before it would be detected.
By exposing hidden vulnerabilities and operational blind spots, Red Teaming allows organizations to enhance their layers of security, strengthen their incident response, and boost overall resilience against actual attacks. It is a critical component of a mature cybersecurity program, especially in an age where threats are more advanced and persistent.
History and Red Teaming Evolution
Red Teaming has its roots in military strategy, years prior to its integration into cybersecurity operations. The concept was originally developed through military strategy training exercises, where commanders would assign a team — the “Red Team” — to assume the thinking of an adversary. Their responsibility was to try strategies, expose weaknesses, and improve overall battle plans. This testing methodology from the adversary’s point of view enabled military commanders to more accurately predict and prepare for real threats.
One of the first official uses of Red Teaming was in the 19th century Prussian army. They institutionalized critical thinking and adversary review into their strategic planning processes. Later, during the Cold War, the United States and its allies frequently used Red Teams to simulate Soviet operations and test their own security and operational readiness.
During the late 20th century, when technology and the internet started reshaping society, the concept of Red Teaming went beyond its initial areas into other fields, including cybersecurity. Businesses began to incorporate the concept in order to model hacking attempts, insider attacks, and advanced cyberattacks. Cybersecurity Red Teams initially concentrated mostly on technical exploitation, but gradually their focus diversified to social engineering, physical intrusion, and the testing of whole security ecosystems.
Red Teaming has become a common practice nowadays for military or governmental organizations but more and more so for private businesses, banking and medical institutions, and technology businesses as well. Red Teams in the modern day are incredibly sophisticated, involving weeks and months of preparation and rehearsal, replicating the multi-part and advanced attacks of the current world.
Red Teaming is changing, and new domains like cloud security, IoT security, and AI attack are being folded into Red Team operations. Permanent Red Teaming, whereby companies are under continuous, sustained simulated attack, has come to be considered the new normal for highly resilient security operations.
Strategy, years prior to its integration into cybersecurity operations. The concept was originally developed through military strategy training exercises, where commanders would assign a team — the “Red Team” — to assume the thinking of an adversary. Their responsibility was to try strategies, expose weaknesses, and improve overall battle plans. This testing methodology from the adversary’s point of view enabled military commanders to more accurately predict and prepare for real threats.
One of the first official uses of Red Teaming was in the 19th century Prussian army. They institutionalized critical thinking and adversary review into their strategic planning processes. Later, during the Cold War, the United States and its allies frequently used Red Teams to simulate Soviet operations and test their own security and operational readiness.
During the late 20th century, when technology and the internet started reshaping society, the concept of Red Teaming went beyond its initial areas into other fields, including cybersecurity. Businesses began to incorporate the concept in order to model hacking attempts, insider attacks, and advanced cyberattacks. Cybersecurity Red Teams initially concentrated mostly on technical exploitation, but gradually their focus diversified to social engineering, physical intrusion, and the testing of whole security ecosystems.
Red Teaming has become a common practice nowadays for military or governmental organizations but more and more so for private businesses, banking and medical institutions, and technology businesses as well. Red Teams in the modern day are incredibly sophisticated, involving weeks and months of preparation and rehearsal, replicating the multi-part and advanced attacks of the current world.
Red Teaming is changing, and new domains like cloud security, IoT security, and AI attack are being folded into Red Team operations. Permanent Red Teaming, whereby companies are under continuous, sustained simulated attack, has come to be considered the new normal for highly resilient security operations.
Core Principles of Red Teaming
Red Teaming is based on a set of core principles that guide its strategy, operations, and overall mindset. These principles enable Red Team exercises to provide pertinent, realistic, and useful insights to organizations that want to enhance their security posture.
1. Realism
A Red Team exercise will have to simulate the behavior of actual threats as realistically as possible. That means employing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that actual attackers would be employing. Realism is what ensures defenses are being tested against actual threats, not hypothetical ones.
2. Adversarial Thinking
Red Teamers must be innovative and erratic, always wondering how an attacker would behave. Red Teamers take unconventional paths, exploit overlooked vulnerabilities, and adapt rapidly to new situations — as their real-world counterparts do.
3. Persistence and Stealth
Successful attackers wait and work hard. Similarly, Red Teams unfold over extensive time periods as required, working quietly towards their targets. The ability to be under the radar but persistent probes the perimeter defenses and internal detection response mechanisms at least as much as it challenges the perimeter fences.
4. Holistic Approach
Red Teaming is more than technical hacks. It attacks the entire ecosystem — people, processes, technologies, and physical security. This expansive view permits weaknesses to be uncovered that strictly technical testing can miss.
5. Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Every engagement is a learning experience. Red Teams must continue to refine their techniques, discover new attack paths, and keep current with evolving technologies and defensive methodologies. Inactive techniques become useless in a changing threat environment.
6. Ethical Responsibility
Being within established parameters is crucial. Red Teams must take care that what they do, while adversarial in character, is ethical, sanctioned, and safe, without inadvertently causing disruption or harm to the organization.
Together, these guidelines ensure that Red Teaming enables a realistic, thorough, and valuable assessment of an organisation’s true security resilience.
Red Teaming Methodology
Red Teaming is conducted using a formal methodology that guarantees each engagement is comprehensive, realistic, and beneficial to an organization. The process is carried out in several phases, each of which is aimed at mimicking the lifecycle of an actual attack while trying to test and enhance the defenses of the organization. Below is an explanation of the Red Teaming methodology:
1. Planning and Scoping
Phase one involves careful planning and clear goal definition. Before the exercise begins, there must be a mutual agreement between the Red Team and the business (usually represented by the Blue Team) on the Rules of Engagement (RoE), which define the scope, limitations, and boundaries of the exercise. This gives both parties a clear picture of what is acceptable, such as which systems and assets are off-limits and the level of disruption that can be inflicted.
Key Activities:
- Definition of objectives (e.g., test incident response, discover vulnerabilities, etc.)
- Target identification (individual employees, systems, or physical entry points)
- Establishing timelines
2. Reconnaissance and Information Gathering
After scope is established, Red Teamers begin to collect information about the target. During this phase, there is typically Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) collection, which involves looking at publicly available information, social media profiles, and publicly available documents to identify potential entry points or vulnerabilities. Reconnaissance may also involve network and system scanning to identify vulnerabilities.
Primary Activities:
- OSINT collection (e.g., domain names, emails, company policies)
- Attack surface mapping (network, physical, and human factors)
3. Initial Access and Exploitation
After collecting enough information, the Red Team attempts to gain initial access to the target system or network. This could involve tactics such as phishing, software vulnerability exploitation, or using social engineering techniques. The goal is to gain a foothold that allows for further activity in the network of the organization.
Key Activities:
- Phishing or spear-phishing campaigns
- Exploitation of zero-day or known vulnerabilities
- Credential stuffing or password cracking
4. Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation
Once inside, Red Teamers attempt to move laterally throughout the network, infecting more systems and escalating their privileges to dive deeper into more sensitive areas. This phase simulates those actions of a persistent attacker who attempts to take greater control of the network.
Key Activities:
- Transcending from system to system or network segments
- Escalating privileges (i.e., from a low-privileged user to an admin)
- Identifying valuable data or assets
5. Exfiltration and Objective Achievement
After establishing sufficient access and control, Red Teamers attempt to exfiltrate data or achieve their mission objective. This can involve stealing sensitive data, disrupting critical systems, or demonstrating how easily information can be extracted unnoticed.
Key Activities:
- Exfiltrating data (e.g., through encrypted channels)
- Accessing sensitive business secrets, customer data, or intellectual property
6. Covering Tracks
To simulate a real attack, the Red Team must also hide their actions to avoid detection. This could involve log removal, hiding malware, or other anti-forensic techniques to confuse the Blue Team and make their actions harder to follow.
Key Activities:
- Modification or removal of logs
- Installation of rootkits or obfuscation of malware
7. Reporting and Debriefing
Once the Red Team completes their goals, the engagement is wrapped up with a detailed debrief and report. The final report includes a comprehensive overview of the attack, vulnerabilities discovered, and detailed recommendations for improving security posture. A critical part of this phase is the post-engagement debrief, where both the Red Team and Blue Team discuss the outcome, and lessons learned are shared.
Key Activities:
- Presenting findings and recommendations
- Identifying significant weaknesses in defenses
- Advising on improvements to security measures
Phases of Red Teaming Operations
Red Teaming operations are structured into several significant phases, each covering different aspects of the attack lifecycle. These phases enable Red Team exercises to be comprehensive and reflect real-world threats in a controlled, efficient manner.
1. Preparation Phase
This is the planning phase where the foundation for the operation is laid. The Red Team and the client organization discuss and decide on the Rules of Engagement (RoE) that establishes boundaries, objectives, and scope. This activity is necessary to harmonize objectives and specifically outline what is allowed during the operation.
Key Activities:
- Determine objectives and scope of engagement (e.g., targeting systems, response capabilities, or internal processes)
- Establish Rules of Engagement (RoE) with the organization
- Identify stakeholders and plan communication protocols
- Set timelines and deliverables
- Gather intelligence on the target organization
2. Reconnaissance Phase
The reconnaissance phase is where the Red Team attempts to gain knowledge about the target as much as possible. This phase is required to find entry points and understand the attack surface of the organization. Red Teamers may collect Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), comb through social media, examine the target organisation’s publicly exposed infrastructure, or perform network scans for vulnerabilities.
Key Activities:
- Gather publicly available information (e.g., company websites, employee LinkedIn profiles, social media)
- Identify and map weaknesses in external-facing infrastructure
- Passive scanning to discover vulnerabilities without triggering alarms
3. Initial Exploitation Phase
Following the reconnaissance phase, the Red Team attempts to gain initial access to the organisations systems. This stage usually involves the exploitation of vulnerabilities, phishing, social engineering, or exploiting weak credentials in order to get a foothold in the network.
Key Activities:
- Execute phishing attacks or spear-phishing campaigns
- Exploit discovered vulnerabilities (software vulnerabilities, misconfigurations)
- Use credential stuffing or password cracking techniques
- Gain access to internal networks or systems
4. Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation Phase
After gaining initial access, the Red Team performs lateral movement in the network to enhance control and escalate privileges. The goal is to gain more access to sensitive areas of the network, such as privileged accounts, confidential data, or critical infrastructure.
Key Activities:
- Move from an already compromised system to another system in the network
- Escalate privileges to obtain admin-level access
- Obtain access to other critical resources or sensitive data
- Find vulnerabilities in internal defenses and exploit them
5. Exfiltration Phase
Once there is adequate access, the goal of the Red Team is to exfiltrate data or to complete the mission objective. It could be the theft of sensitive data (e.g., intellectual property, financial data), compromising critical systems, or demonstrating the ease with which data can be extracted without detection.
Key Activities:
- Exfiltrate data via encrypted communication or covert channels
- Capture sensitive documents or credentials
- Demonstrate the ease with which critical assets can be exfiltrated
6. Post-Exploitation and Persistence Phase
In this phase, the Red Team ensures that they have created persistence within the target environment. This can involve backdoor installations, rootkits, or other persistence mechanisms that allow attackers to regain access even after initial exploitation is discovered.
Key Activities:
- Install backdoors or leave access points open for future exploitation
- Prevent attacks from being detected by evading detection systems
- Modify logs or systems in order to evade tracking and identification
7. Cleanup and Reporting Phase
Once the Red Team completes its objectives, they proceed to the final phase: cleanup and reporting. The team ensures that they eliminate any evidence of their activities or cover it up, as a real attacker would do. They then give a detailed report to the organization, which includes their discoveries, techniques, vulnerabilities found, and recommended mitigations.
Key Activities:
- Delete or erase any tools or residue left behind to avoid detection
- Perform an extensive debrief with the organization
- Provide an actionable report outlining vulnerabilities, exploited weaknesses, and recommended improvements
- Prescribe corrective actions to address gaps in security that were uncovered
Tools Used in Red Teaming
Red Teaming operations require a variety of specialized tools to simulate real-world attacks effectively. These tools help Red Teamers gather intelligence, exploit vulnerabilities, move laterally within networks, escalate privileges, and exfiltrate data, among other objectives. Below are some of the commonly used tools in Red Teaming:
1. Reconnaissance Tools
Reconnaissance, or information gathering, is the first step in a Red Team engagement. The following tools are used to gather Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and map out the target’s infrastructure:
Maltego
Used for gathering and analyzing OSINT. Maltego helps visualize connections between people, networks, and websites.
Nmap
A powerful network scanning tool for discovering hosts and services on a computer network, helping Red Teamers map out the target’s attack surface.
theHarvester
A tool for collecting email addresses, domain names, and other useful data from public sources, helping to identify potential targets for social engineering.
2. Exploitation Tools
Once initial reconnaissance is complete, Red Teamers move on to exploiting vulnerabilities. These tools help automate the exploitation of weaknesses:
Metasploit
A framework for developing and executing exploit code against remote target machines. It can automate various types of attacks and is widely used for penetration testing and Red Team engagements.
Empire
A post-exploitation and Red Teaming framework that allows attackers to run PowerShell and Python agents on compromised systems for lateral movement, persistence, and data exfiltration.
Cobalt Strike
A commercial tool widely used for Red Team operations, designed for adversary simulations. It includes a variety of attack techniques, including social engineering, phishing, and command-and-control operations.
3. Social Engineering Tools
Social engineering is a core component of Red Teaming, aiming to manipulate human behavior for access. Tools include:
Social-Engineer Toolkit (SET)
SET is an open-source framework designed for automating social engineering attacks. It includes phishing, credential harvesting, and other social engineering techniques.
Gophish
A phishing framework for testing and simulating phishing attacks. It helps Red Teams craft realistic phishing campaigns and track their effectiveness.
4. Lateral Movement and Post-Exploitation Tools
These tools help move within the network, escalate privileges, and maintain persistence:
BloodHound
A tool for mapping out Active Directory environments and identifying privilege escalation paths. It helps Red Teamers exploit vulnerabilities in Active Directory setups.
KerberosTicket
This tool exploits Kerberos authentication to obtain service tickets, which can be used to escalate privileges or pivot to other systems.
PowerSploit
A collection of PowerShell scripts for post-exploitation tasks, including lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration.
5. Exfiltration Tools
Exfiltration is a critical stage in many Red Team operations. These tools help Red Teamers extract data from compromised systems:
Netcat
A simple, versatile tool used for network communication, it can be used for transferring data between systems during exfiltration.
Rclone
A command-line program for syncing files and directories to cloud storage. It can be used to covertly exfiltrate data to cloud services.
FTP/SFTP
Often used for exfiltrating data securely over the network, these protocols can be leveraged to extract sensitive information while avoiding detection.
6. Post-Engagement and Reporting Tools
Once the Red Team has completed their engagement, reporting and analysis are crucial. Tools used in this phase include:
Dradis
A collaboration and reporting tool that helps compile and present the findings of Red Team operations in a professional, actionable format.
Faraday
An integrated vulnerability management platform that helps track and organise findings during the engagement, making reporting and collaboration easier.
see you on the part 2.
