In an increasingly complex and dynamic world, it is essential for organizations to continually review and improve their security and defense strategies. One of the most effective ways to uncover vulnerabilities and build resilience is through red teaming. But what exactly is red teaming? And for what types of organizations is it best suited?
This article provides a glimpse into the world of red teaming, highlights its benefits, and shows which companies and institutions can benefit the most from this challenging yet creative method.
Table of contents
What Is Red Teaming?
The exact meaning of the term “red teaming” today varies from continent to continent, which may be due to cultural differences or different security practices. However, the military origin of the term and its emergence in North America is undisputed.
The concept was originally developed to test defense capabilities against simulated attacks. It was later transferred to the field of cybersecurity, where, over time, it has become established worldwide.
Oneconsult characterizes red teaming as a realistic simulation in which the actions of real attackers are emulated. This approach entails testing the infrastructure in its entirety. Optionally, physical security and the awareness of employees can also be evaluated. By simulating an attack, organizations can assess their security measures and strategic plans from the perspective of attackers. This proactive method helps identify vulnerabilities and potential threats before they can be exploited by adversaries.
For more information on how red teaming differs from penetration testing, read our blog post: The Differences Between Penetration Test and Red Teaming.
Why Is Red Teaming Important?
In light of the rising prevalence and sophistication of cyberattacks, it is imperative to implement proactive security measures. This also includes periodic and targeted red teaming assessments. A single security incident has the potential to irreparably damage customer trust. The financial implications of rectifying a security breach are often significantly greater than those of implementing effective defensive strategies. Oneconsult has previously assisted clients in navigating numerous major cyber incidents, thereby gaining invaluable insight into the most critical aspects of such scenarios. The DORA regulation and the TIBER framework, a framework established by the European Central Bank for red teaming tests, also underscore the necessity for heightened attention to cybersecurity.
Once a company has implemented basic defense strategies and conducted penetration tests on individual components, it may be of interest to simulate an attack. One advantage is that the efficacy of the existing cybersecurity measures can be evaluated. Furthermore, the implementation of the measures derived from the attack simulation can further enhance the organization’s cyber resilience. Various attack scenarios and known threats, such as Emissary Panda, Fancy Bear, Midnight Blizzard, and others, can be simulated. These are examples of so-called Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
By emulating realistic attack scenarios, organizations can not only identify technical vulnerabilities but also analyze organizational weaknesses and human factors. One objective of red teaming simulations is, therefore, to ascertain technical vulnerabilities. Simultaneously, the simulations aim to reveal shortcomings in the response, processes, communication, and coordination of attacks, as well as in dealing with the attackers. This is why red teaming is often combined with purple teaming.
What Are the Benefits of Red Teaming?
Red teaming offers the significant advantage of uncovering hidden vulnerabilities in an organization’s IT systems, physical security measures, and security processes that are missed in traditional security audits due to a lack of context. By simulating realistic attacks, organizations can test and improve their defenses under real-world conditions. Red teaming promotes security awareness among employees and ensures that an organization can respond quickly and effectively to security incidents. It can also build trust with customers and partners by demonstrating an organization’s proactive approach to cybersecurity.
Who Needs Red Teaming and Who Is It Suitable For?
Red teaming is a pertinent security measure for a multitude of organizations and industries seeking to enhance their defensive capabilities and be prepared for potential threats. Companies that manage sensitive data or operate in highly regulated industries, such as finance, healthcare, and energy, will particularly benefit from this form of security testing. Large companies with complex IT infrastructures and global operations also rely on red teaming to identify and eliminate potential technical or procedural vulnerabilities.
Even smaller companies that have limited resources but are still attractive targets for cybercriminals can also achieve significant security improvements through red teaming. Red teaming can also be a suitable approach if an organization has undergone major changes, as it can help to identify potential security risks that may not be immediately apparent. The following are some examples of scenarios in which red teaming is a valuable tool:
- Moving to a new office building
- Acquisition or merger of companies
- Making major cybersecurity investments after an incident or as a preventative measure
- Site selection prior to a major investment
Why Is It Important to Plan the Simulation?
Planning such a simulation is critical to the success of the project. It should be determined whether an entire attack chain or individual “building blocks” of an attack are to be simulated and tested. The starting point is a defined scenario, where the focus is always on achieving a specific goal.
Examples of such scenarios are:
- What damage can an attacker cause if they gain access to a device?
- What would be the impact of the exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability? If attackers gain access to a server through a vulnerability, how easily can they spread through the network and take over other systems?
- Can an attacker gain physical access to the office building or a specific room, and what further attacks may be possible as a result?
The following attack simulation options are available for the above scenarios:
- (Spear) Phishing Assessment: Targeted phishing attack against an individual or a specific user group such as a department within the target organization.
- Phishing Simulation With Code Execution: Phishing attack designed to execute code on the victim’s system.
- Threat Intelligence Analysis: Analysis of externally accessible systems and publicly available information from an attacker’s perspective.
- Local Privilege Escalation on an End-User Device: Scanning an end-user device for software and configuration vulnerabilities that allow privilege escalation and subsequent exploitation.
- Social Engineering Assessment: Conducting a social engineering campaign to attempt to gain physical access to the premises.
- Physical Security Assessment: Identifying and exploiting physical vulnerabilities to gain access to the target building and, in turn, confidential data or internal systems.
- Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation (Domain Administrator Privileges): Attempts to spread within the network through lateral movement. Trying to gain further access through known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. This process is repeated to gain the highest possible privileges in Active Directory.
- Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation (Access to Critical/Sensitive Data): Attempts to spread within the network through lateral movement. Trying to gain further access through known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. This process is repeated in order to gain the necessary rights to access customer-identifying information.
Conclusion
Red teaming is an effective way to test the security of the entire infrastructure and, in some cases, the physical security as well. It not only tests individual aspects or components, but also examines the interactions within the network. Red teaming projects are particularly suitable for organizations that already have a certain level of security, but can also be a good starting point for assessing the general level of security.
The initial situation, the goal to be achieved, and certain procedural specifications can be customized and adapted to cover relevant attack scenarios for each organization and to generate maximum added value.
Ultimately, red teaming is an essential step for any organization that wants to proactively and comprehensively review its security posture in order to be prepared for the increasingly prevalent threats.
