Red teamingis a special form of penetration testing and refers to the simulation of an advanced and persistent threat (APT for short). A team of qualified security experts takes on the role of the attacker and carries out a cyber attack on your company under real conditions. As in a real attack, they attempt to gain access to sensitive data or possibly even hack entire IT systems and networks as well as connected applications.
The procedures and attack techniques of malicious actors can be summarized under the technical term "Tactics, Techniques and Procedures" (TTPs for short). Each malicious actor or malicious group has its own repertoire of procedures to which the Red Team adapts in order to achieve the most accurate simulation possible.
On the other hand, there is the so-called "Blue Team" - these are the IT managers in your company who are responsible for IT security and should recognize cyber attacks at an early stage and, if possible, ward them off.
A red teaming campaign always has the goal of carrying out an attack with a previously defined threat profile and thus evaluating the effectiveness of existing defense measures, security precautions and management processes - against the threat profile - and uncovering possible weaknesses.
Examples of such a threat profile could be findings from previous cyberattacks on your company or possible risk factors in the IT infrastructure, which should be systematically checked.
At the beginning, a threat profile is developed in close consultation with you, which is to be simulated during the attack. Furthermore, it is determined which data or systems the Red Team should hack or compromise. For example, dummy data or mock-up systems can be used, which are subject to the same security precautions as the production systems but do not contain any actual data. However, it should be ensured that your IT managers are not aware of the planned measures. This is the only way to realize a realistic scenario.
The Red Team then begins to simulate the attack, usually from an external perspective, and applies appropriate attack techniques and procedures. The Red Team attempts to remain undetected and to circumvent possible detection and defense mechanisms. As this can be a time-consuming process, such a campaign usually lasts 3 to 4 weeks. In some cases even longer.
At the end of the test period or after the previously defined target has been met, a final report is prepared with all activities and successful attacks, including a time stamp, which also outlines the exploited vulnerabilities in systems, guidelines or management processes and provides possible courses of action. The results are then discussed with you and further options for action are developed in dialog. If possible, technical findings can also be discussed directly with the responsible contact persons on your side and a joint refinement of detection and defense rules can be carried out.
A Red Team is usually commissioned by companies to put their own IT security to the test - under realistic conditions - and to check the existing defense mechanisms of their own IT department. This allows existing vulnerabilities to be uncovered and subsequently rectified, drastically reducing the risk of a real cyberattack. You must therefore already have the relevant systems in place and have an internal IT department. Red teaming may also involve checking your external service providers (e.g. third-party software and/or hardware).
In addition, red teaming does not check individual systems for vulnerabilities, but your entire IT system and associated systems and applications. The Red Team does not limit itself exclusively to your IT, but may also pretend to be an employee of your company and attempt to physically infiltrate your company.
A Red Team usually consists of various IT security experts who use their specific expertise to attack completely different areas of your IT. Of course, no real damage is caused, as the Red Team does not introduce any malware / ransomware into your system. In addition to qualified IT security experts, a Red Team also includes programmers, system administrators and network specialists, for example. In addition, Red Teams can also include former hackers (ethical hacking) who use their experience to outwit security mechanisms. The closer the attack is to reality, the better your IT security can be tested.
Red teaming initially differs from penetration testing in its implementation. While a penetration test usually involves activating the systems to be tested and thus using vulnerability scanners and manual testing to identify technical deficits in as many systems as possible, a red team campaign, on the other hand, takes the approach of compromising the previously defined target systems or their data undetected and using social engineering attacks to uncover and exploit non-technical vulnerabilities.
A pentest also differs from a red teaming campaign in terms of the duration of the test period. The active test period of an average penetration test usually extends over one to a maximum of two weeks, depending on the scope of the test. In a red teaming campaign, on the other hand, the active test period can extend over a month.
The Blue Team consists of the IT experts or responsible persons in your company. In order to carry out a realistic cyberattack on your company, the Blue Team should not be informed that the Red Team has been commissioned. Ideally, as few employees as possible should be involved, as the behavior of your employees and the physical security of your sites may also be put to the test.
The goal of red teaming is clearly defined: A team of IT experts will attempt to hack your IT system and determine how well your company is protected against cyber attacks and whether any vulnerabilities exist. Various IT security issues will be examined: Network security, security of the end devices used, server security, firewalls, but also the behaviour of your employees (social engineering), the physical security of your locations and organizational security measures. The typical questions asked during red teaming include
Red Teaming uses various procedures, tools and tactics. Ultimately, the aim is to put your IT through its paces. For example, attacks are carried out on networks, but your employees are also scrutinized. Below is a list of the common tactics / methods used in red teaming:
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Vimeo. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou need to load content from reCAPTCHA to submit the form. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou need to load content from hCaptcha to submit the form. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou need to load content from reCAPTCHA to submit the form. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationYou are currently viewing a placeholder content from Turnstile. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More Information
