Red Teaming

Red Teaming, also known as ethical hacking, is a cyber security tactic where an independent team (the 'red team') simulates a real attack against an organisation to test its defensive capabilities. These attacks can typically be cyber-attacks, but can also include physical infiltration and social engineering tactics.

Penetration Testing Services

Your Challenges

Limited Security Awareness

Many organisations lack a clear understanding of their own vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of their security measures. 

Overconfidence in Security

Organisations may become complacent or overly confident in their existing security measures, assuming they are sufficient without rigorous testing. 

Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory bodies increasingly require businesses to demonstrate robust cybersecurity practices. 

What is Red Teaming?

Red Teaming is a covert engagement designed to identify weaknesses in your cyber preventative controls and staff security awareness. Typically, this involves pretending to be an external attacker, gathering as much open-source intelligence to build a picture of the organisation, and then trying to exploit these using multiple attack methods. The organisation's internal security team (the 'blue team') responds without prior notice, providing a realistic assessment of readiness against genuine threats.

Why is Red Teaming important?

  • Provides an objective assessment of these aspects by simulating real-world attack scenarios.

  • Helps dispel false assurances by identifying gaps and weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious attackers.

  • Assists in fulfilling regulatory compliance requirements by uncovering vulnerabilities and validating the effectiveness of security controls and incident response plans.

Red Teaming in Practice

Objective

A prolific investment firm has implemented a rigorous Information Security Management System to improve client trust. The new security policies and practices require testing and evaluation by a third-party to provide assurance at board level.  A red teaming exercise will simulate a risk vector to determine if the implemented controls are effective.

Red Team Approach

  1. Planning: Extensive research on infrastructure and policies.

  2. Attack Simulation: Phishing campaigns, network intrusion, and social engineering.

  3. Testing Response: Evaluation of SOC and incident response procedures.

Results

Identified critical vulnerabilities in:

  • Employee awareness and phishing susceptibility.

  • Network segmentation and lateral movement risks.

  • Incident response effectiveness and communication protocols.

Outcome

The investment firm was able to see a comprehensive view of their security weaknesses, noting the severity of risk factor for each one, which allowed them to strategically prioritise improvements, bolster their defences, and plan for more proactive defences.

Realistic Simulations

PureCyber conducts realistic simulations that accurately replicate cyberattack tactics used by real hackers, ensuring thorough vulnerability assessment and preparedness.

PureCyber Red Teaming

Goal-Oriented

PureCyber's red teaming exercises are meticulously goal-oriented, focusing on specific objectives tailored to each client's critical systems and data protection needs.

Authorisation

We engage senior management throughout the process, ensuring red teaming exercises are authorised and aligned with strategic objectives to maximise organisational support and impact.

Learning and Improvement

Beyond identifying weaknesses, PureCyber fosters continuous improvement by providing actionable insights and recommendations to enhance cybersecurity defences and incident response strategies.

Cross-Disciplinary

Our expert team comprises experts in cybersecurity, intelligence, social engineering, and physical security, collaborating to simulate multifaceted attacks and uncover vulnerabilities.

Unannounced Testing

PureCyber conducts unannounced red teaming exercises to assess real-time readiness and response capabilities, providing accurate insights into organisational preparedness under pressure.

Holistic Approach

Our experts takes a holistic approach, evaluating technical vulnerabilities alongside organisational resilience and human factors, providing a comprehensive view of cybersecurity posture.

Detailed Reporting

Our detailed reports outline findings, vulnerabilities exploited, and actionable recommendations, empowering organisations to implement targeted enhancements for stronger cybersecurity posture.

Contact PureCyber

Contact PureCyber to discover how our expert team can collaborate with you to enhance your cybersecurity resilience through tailored red teaming exercises and actionable insights.

 Red Teaming FAQs

  • A red team consists of experts who simulate actual cyber threats. Their main objective is to uncover vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and gaps in an organisation's security by thinking and acting like attackers.

  • Red teaming began in the Cold War to test military vulnerabilities and assumptions. The term comes from military exercises where the 'red team' simulates enemies. In cybersecurity, red teams mimic real attacks to test defences, validate security measures, and improve incident response, fostering continuous improvement and collaboration with blue teams to stay ahead of emerging cyber threats.

  • Red teaming helps prepare your cybersecurity team for sophisticated cyber-attacks.

  • ·      Phishing

    ·      Password Cracking

    ·      Physical Security Testing

    ·      Network Scanning

    ·      Social Engineering

  • ·      Identifying Vulnerabilities

    ·      Improving Security Posture

    ·      Enhancing preparedness

    ·      Training Employees

    ·      Compliance with Regulations

  • This type of testing involves combining both red and blue team activities so that the

    defensive side of your security team can analyse a simulated attack to identify any potential

    weaknesses within your current cyber security strategy and SIEM configurations. This type

    of penetration test allows your internal security team to identify opportunities for

    improvement within your blue team’s training, defensive configurations, technologies

    utilised and processes.

Red Teaming as part of managed cyber security subscriptions

Core Subscription

  • Includes red teaming as part of our comprehensive cybersecurity services.

  • Pen testing service tailored to your needs is conducted by our experienced team.

Total Subscription

  • Offers complete cybersecurity coverage with red teaming included.

  • Our expert pen testing team conducts thorough assessments aligned with your security goals.

Independent Service

  • Red Teaming can be requested as a standalone service or a one-off project.

  • During onboarding, our team reviews and customises the approach to meet your specific requirements.

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