The recent rise in remote work has not stopped malicious actors, and if anything cybersecurity is even more critical than it was before as opportunistic attackers target insecure remote connections.
The ability to assess and validate your network is increasingly vital. For smaller applications, that means penetration testing, as we’ve written recently. But as organizations grow and mature, they require more advanced techniques in the form of red teaming.
Red teaming is similar in intent to penetration testing, but more focused on threats from adversaries in the cyber world. They mimic the mind-set and actions of the attacker in order to improve the security of one’s own organization. In doing so, they challenge your indigenous cyber defense personnel and make them better.
As a standing capability in a cyber environment, these tools can be used to enhance preparedness and improve training capacities. In considering cyber red teaming, a basic first step is to develop a clear procedural framework or a doctrine that will outline the need for a CRT within an organization. One of the main traits identified is that cyber red teaming is a technical endeavor and will mostly rely on high-level specialists with a wide range of skill-sets, involving experts from the private sector.
Even though red teaming and penetration testing use similar tools for cyber-attacks, the goals and results of both methods are very different. Red teaming is focused on the “depth” of the assessment, while the pen-test is aimed at covering the largest number of attack vectors – covering the “breadth.”
The main objective of red teaming is to test and strengthen the organization’s ability to detect and respond to advanced cyber-attacks.
The duration of red teaming depends on the number of agreed scenarios. The average project duration is three to six months, but there are also one-year or even five-year projects. Of course, the most useful red team project is the one that never ends.
By conducting the red teaming exercises and practicing the response to controlled attacks, the internal security team can enhance its skills in detecting previously unknown threats to stop real attackers in the initial stages of an attack (or even in the preparatory phase) and to prevent material and reputational damage to the company.
Adjusting to this new global paradigm can be a challenge. We get it, and we are here to provide the tools, tips, and information you need to help you and your team meet that challenge and ensure your systems are validated and prepped for attempted intrusions. You don’t have to do everything all at once, but developing a relationship with a provider now will help you make regular improvements to your environment over time and prepare it to scale as your company grows.
Call to discuss our red teaming capabilities and plan your next exercise with us today. Our team of experts can and will work with the personnel at your organization to measure the effectiveness of your cyber defense so you know where the weaknesses are and how to mitigate them.
