Red Team
Definition
A Red Team is a group of security professionals who act as adversaries to test an organization's security defenses. They emulate the TTPs of real-world attackers to conduct a realistic, multi-layered attack simulation.
Why It Matters
Red team exercises provide the most realistic test of an organization's people, processes, and technology. They go beyond a standard penetration test to assess not just technical vulnerabilities, but also the effectiveness of the security operations center (SOC) to detect and respond to an attack.
Contextual Example
A company hires a red team. The red team starts with a phishing campaign, gains a foothold on an employee's laptop, moves laterally through the network, escalates privileges, and attempts to exfiltrate sensitive data, all while trying to evade detection by the company's security team (the "Blue Team").
Common Misunderstandings
- Red Team (the attackers) vs. Blue Team (the defenders). A "Purple Team" exercise involves the red and blue teams working collaboratively to improve defenses.
- A red team engagement is a goal-oriented exercise, designed to test defenses against a real-world adversary.