What is a Red Team Assessment & How Can it Benefit My Organization?
Amidst the backdrop of an interconnected cyber world, it has become unfortunate that organizations find themselves repeatedly grappling with the reality of cyberattacks. The cybercriminals, threat actors, adversaries, and hackers alike that present these challenges all utilize “Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures” (TTPs) to carry out their playbook against organizations of all sizes. While the objectives and incentives may differ for these adversaries, one thing remains the same for organizations: it’s not IF you will be targeted, but when and how.
Red team (RT) Assessments are an effective solution for organizations to gain insight into which attack paths currently exist within and around their environment. As best defined by author Joe Vest of the Red Team Development and Operations book, “red teaming is the process of using Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) to emulate real-world threats with the goal of training and measuring the effectiveness of the people, processes, and technology used to defend an environment.” This emulation of real-world threats differentiates a red team assessment from a standard penetration test. For a red team assessment, generally, a stealthier approach is taken (as a real-world adversary might take, hoping to evade existing detections on the network), with objective(s) in mind. An example objective might be for the red teamer(s) to access specific data, achieve domain-wide takeover, or successfully data-mine and pivot across the organization while evading the watchful eyes of blue team defenders. While these objectives may be reached with a regular penetration test, generally, the goal of a regular penetration test is to discover all possible vulnerabilities, flaws, and misconfigurations on the network, with less concern around evading detections (though this can certainly be a component, too, depending on the organization’s preference).
Since 2015, BreakPoint Labs (BPL) has empowered its red teamers to stay abreast of current attack techniques, all while ensuring that their capabilities are tested and vetted before executing adversarial actions against a security partner and/or organization. We firmly believe that the active testing performed in red team assessments can provide organizations with a realistic capture of what security holes exist, all while training and advancing the defenses of an organization’s defenses through post-engagement findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.
Is Your Organization Ready for a Red Team Engagement?
This depends greatly upon the objective(s) of the assessment you are seeking and whether your organization currently has a defense-in-depth approach in place. If your organization has existent controls, such as host-based protection, network monitoring, access controls, and centralized logging with dedicated personnel monitoring events, then a red team style of assessment would benefit your organization. A red team assessment can not only identify attack paths, gaps in defensive strategies, and vulnerabilities but also measure your defense in depth approach and ultimately train your defenders watching over your IT assets/network. A red team assessment would also be recommended for organizations that have been penetration tested in the past and for organizations that would like a stronger focus on testing their defensive capabilities. Breakpoint Labs offers red team assessments, penetration tests, and vulnerability assessments depending on your organization’s objectives and desired approach.
The Return on Investment (ROI) and Benefit of Having a RedTeam Assessment
The next thing you may ask is, what is the return on investment (ROI) and benefit for having a RedTeam assessment?
What Adversarial Perspectives Can a Red Team Assessment Emulate?
Red team assessments are powerful tools for evaluating an organization’s security posture. By simulating various threat actors, these assessments provide valuable insights into potential vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Let’s explore the different adversarial perspectives a red team can emulate:
Red teams can simulate attacks from outside the organization, testing defensive capabilities at the external boundary (e.g., the Internet). This perspective helps identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by remote attackers.
Internal Threats (Assumed Breach)
This approach assumes that systems or networks have already been compromised, either by an insider threat or an external attacker who has gained unauthorized access. Internal red teaming is particularly valuable as it:
- Saves time and money for the organization
- Allows the red team to focus on high-impact objectives with an initial foothold in the network
- Tests the organization’s ability to defend against adversarial activities within the organization’s internal network boundary
Physical Security Threats
By simulating attacks on physical assets (buildings, equipment, and infrastructure), red teams can assess an organization’s ability to protect, defend, and respond to attackers seeking physical entry. This perspective is crucial for preventing cyber footholds gained through physical access.
Social Engineering Threats
This red team service specifically targets an organization’s people and their response to adversaries, enticing outreach, or communications. Social engineering attacks can include:
- Phishing
- Vishing
- Pretexting
- Impersonation-based attack techniques from afar or in person
Social engineering assessments test not only people and how they react to these interactions but also the technologies or security controls deployed by an organization that help filter or prevent said attacks from reaching their employees.
Hybrid Approach
Red teams can combine multiple perspectives in a multi-phased approach for a comprehensive evaluation. This method assesses an organization’s resilience against various attack vectors, providing a holistic view of its security posture. By understanding and leveraging these different adversarial perspectives, organizations can gain a complete picture of their security strengths and weaknesses, ultimately enhancing their defense strategy.
Contact BreakPoint Labs now to schedule your free consultation and discover how a red team assessment can fortify your defenses against evolving cyber threats. Our expert team is ready to tailor a comprehensive solution to your unique needs.
About the Author
Zack Meyers is a Program Manager at BreakPoint Labs and a lead for a DoW-certified Red Team, where he specializes in emulating advanced threat actor TTPs to secure high-value assets. He is a recognized expert in offensive security operations, notably spearheading the attainment of a unique NSA certification for a DoW client to conduct full-spectrum red team activities. Zack holds a Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity and numerous elite certifications, including OSCP and CISSP, and manages daily technical operations for offensive security services across DoW, Federal, and commercial sectors.