The evolution of cyber threats is a constant in today’s world. Malicious individuals, often driven by financial, ideological, or other motivations, seek new ways to overcome organizations’ digital and physical defenses, and they always succeed with new methods, exploiting innovation, art, and deception by exploiting their “hacking” skills.
In this delicate balance between defense and attack, an increasingly important organization emerges in the defense of an organization’s digital infrastructure: the Red Team.
But who are the members of this mysterious Red Team? What is their role, and how do they contribute to improving organizational security? In this article, we will answer these questions, offering an in-depth overview of what exactly the Red Team is and what its main activities are.
The Red Team, composed internally of ethical hackers, represents the wing of cybersecurity that operates on the simulated attack front. These security experts, equipped with technologically advanced skills, try to test an organization’s defenses exactly as a real attacker would do, but with a different goal: discovering vulnerabilities in order to fix them before an attacker is able to exploit them.
Understand that it is a constant race against time as new security vulnerabilities and new attack vectors are constantly added to the long list of vulnerabilities to be managed. The methodologies can be diverse and among the most desperate, starting from network attacks to compromise an organization’s IT infrastructure, up to attacks that exploit sophisticated social engineering techniques.
Social engineering is a technique used to manipulate people in order to obtain sensitive information or induce them to perform certain actions.These manipulations can occur through persuasion, psychological manipulation, or the creation of deceptive situations. The goal of social engineering is to exploit the natural human propensity to trust or respond to social requests.
In cybersecurity contexts, social engineering is often used by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to systems or confidential information. For example, an attacker might pretend to be a company employee and call the IT department to obtain an account password. Social engineering can also manifest itself in the form of phishing, where victims are tricked into revealing sensitive information through deceptive emails or websites.
Awareness of these techniques is critical for organizations wishing to defend themselves from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Understanding how a Red Team operates and what tools it uses can help strengthen security and develop more effective defense strategies in companies.
Remember that the Red Team is the group within the organization that simulates the “bad guys” and therefore contrasts with the work of the “Blue team, which often converges with the Security Operation Center (SOC). While the Red Team works before a security incident, trying to correct the cyber posture of organizations, the Blue team manages the security incident phase, carrying out incident response (IR) and attempting to detect the malicious actions simulated by the Red Team group.
Who makes up the Red Team
Red Teamers are highly specialized professionals in the security field. Their main role is to act as ethical attackers, simulating targeted attacks to test an organization’s security. Unlike traditional penetration testing, which often focuses on vulnerabilities and technical defenses, Red Teamers take a blended approach, considering both technical and human aspects.
Within the Red Team is the Red Team Leader, also known as the team captain. He or she is responsible for the overall supervision of Red Teaming activities. This experienced security expert coordinates operations, plans simulated attacks, and ensures that objectives are clear and the exercise’s goals are achieved. The Red Team leader also plays a key role in organizing activities, analyzing results, and communicating. The experts within the Red Team have different specializations that can be divided into:
Cyber Security Experts: The core members of the Red Team are cyber security experts with different specializations. These professionals have in-depth knowledge of networks, operating systems, web applications, cryptography, common vulnerabilities, and ethical hacking techniques. They may be certified in cybersecurity and have hands-on experience detecting and investigating threats;
Social Engineering Experts: social engineering experts are particularly skilled in the art of manipulating people to obtain confidential information or gain access to systems. These Red Team members are trained to conduct phishing, telephone, or in-person attacks to test human vulnerability. They know how to exploit human psychology to gain information or unauthorized access;
Physical Security Experts: Physical security is an important aspect of Red Teaming activities. Physical security experts are responsible for assessing the vulnerability of buildings, facilities, and access control systems. They may attempt to overcome physical barriers, such as security doors or alarm systems, to test an organization’s security;
Threat Analysis Experts: Threat analysis experts are tasked with monitoring and analyzing the current threat landscape. These professionals maintain up-to-date knowledge of the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by real-world attackers. This information guides the planning of simulated attacks to ensure they are realistic and timely;
Application Security Experts: Application security experts focus on assessing the security of software applications. They may examine web applications, mobile applications, or custom software to identify vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and more. These team members are critical to identifying application-related risks;
Network Security Experts: Network security experts focus on analyzing and assessing computer networks. They can conduct network penetration tests, identify potential entry points, and assess the robustness of network security measures. Understanding networks is crucial to identifying and mitigating threats;
Compliance and Regulatory Experts: Regulatory compliance is important to many organizations. Compliance and regulatory experts on the Red Team assess whether an organization complies with laws and regulations related to information security. They can evaluate whether the organization’s policies and procedures are aligned with regulations and can identify potential violations.
In summary, a Red Team is composed of a diverse team of security experts with specialized skills. These professionals work together to identify vulnerabilities, conduct realistic tests, and provide recommendations to improve an organization’s security. The diversity of skills within the team enables a comprehensive assessment of both cyber and physical security.
The Red Team’s goals
As we’ve said before, the Red Team’s goal is not to find vulnerabilities within the organization, but rather to detect them in order to fix them before a potential attacker can exploit them.
Generally, the Red Team’s responsibilities are as follows:
Simulate Realistic Attacks: Red Team experts attempt to emulate the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real attackers. This can include the use of hacking techniques as well as social engineering, such as spear phishing, tailgating, and other tactics used by attackers to gain access to an organization.
Evaluate Defenses: Red Team experts carefully examine existing security measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, malware filters, and physical access controls. The goal is to identify any vulnerabilities or gaps in the organization’s defense.
Provide Feedback and Improvements: After conducting testing activities, Red Teamers provide detailed feedback to the organization detailing attack vectors and areas for improvement. This feedback includes a report on the vulnerabilities found, the methodologies used, and recommendations to improve security.
Types of social engineering attacks
We have talked a lot about penetration testing attacks aimed at breaking into a network or IT infrastructure trying to access sensitive resources or data. Therefore, in this article we will not dwell on this widely illustrated technique, referring you to our previous articles accessible in the section “discovering cyber security”.
In this chapter, instead, we will explore the types of attacks that can be used within the Red Team that are based on social engineering. Below is a series of attacks that exploit social engineering:
Phishing: Phishing is one of the most widespread and well-known social engineering attacks. In this type of attack, attackers send messages, usually emails, that appear to come from trusted sources, such as banks, businesses, or government organizations. These messages often contain fraudulent links or malicious attachments that trick victims into revealing personal information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or banking details. Phishing can also aim to install malware on victims’ devices.
Spear Phishing: Spear phishing is a more targeted variant of phishing. In this case, attackers tailor attacks to specific victims or organizations, gathering detailed information about them through online research or social engineering. Spear phishing attacks are more convincing because they often contain personal information or specific details known only to the victims. This increases the likelihood that victims will fall for the scam;
Pretext: Pretext attacks involve using a pretext or excuse to obtain sensitive information or access to a protected area. For example, an attacker might pose as a computer support technician or an organization employee to request access to confidential systems or information. This type of attack exploits the victims’ politeness or lack of awareness.
Baiting: A baiting attack involves offering something attractive, such as a free software, music, or movie download, to lure victims. However, the proposed download contains malware or a virus that infects the victim’s device once executed. This type of attack exploits people’s curiosity and tricks them into performing risky actions.
Telephone Social Engineering: Telephone social engineering involves using the telephone to manipulate people and obtain sensitive information. Attackers can pose as representatives of agencies, organizations, or authorities and convince victims to provide personal or financial information. This type of attack requires good communication skills and the ability to persuade victims over the phone;
Dumpster Diving: Dumpster diving is a social engineering technique that involves searching for sensitive information or waste in physical locations, such as garbage bins or recycling bins. Attackers search for documents, cards, old devices, or other objects that may contain sensitive or useful data for a later attack. This technique may seem crude, but it can be surprisingly effective.
Elicitation: Elicitation involves manipulating people through conversations and social interactions to obtain information. Attackers may ask seemingly innocuous questions or lead conversations to elicit useful details. This type of attack exploits people’s natural tendency to share information;
Tailgating: Tailgating is a social engineering technique in which an attacker closely follows an authorized employee to gain access to a protected area. The attacker pretends to be from the surrounding environment and can take advantage of people’s courtesy or trust to gain entry. This technique relies on the ability to bypass physical access controls without attracting suspicion;
Impersonation: In the case of impersonation, attackers pretend to be someone else, often an authority figure or an organizational member, to gain access or the desired information. They may adopt false identities and use uniforms or badges to appear credible. This technique exploits the victims’ trust in the authority they represent;
Fraudulent Quizzes and Surveys: Attackers may use fraudulent quizzes or surveys on social media, websites, or emails to collect sensitive or personal information from victims. Often, these surveys require victims to answer personal questions or provide details such as their full name, date of birth, or other information that can be used for malicious purposes.
SMS Phishing (Smishing): Also known as smishing, this type of attack uses fraudulent SMS messages to trick victims into revealing personal information or clicking on malicious links.Attackers impersonate legitimate organizations or financial institutions and try to convince victims to share sensitive data or access compromised websites.
Online Social Engineering: Online social engineering involves the use of social media and online communication platforms to obtain information or manipulate victims. Attackers may create fake profiles or use persuasion tactics to convince people to reveal personal or financial details, as well as use cyber theat intelligence tools to isolate information about a specific individual.
These are just some of the types of social engineering attacks that attackers can use to gain access to sensitive information or perform malicious actions.
It is important to be aware of these threats and take appropriate security measures to protect yourself and your information. Training, awareness, and the adoption of robust security policies are critical to mitigating the risk of falling victim to these attacks.
Red vs Blue
In the context of cybersecurity, The Red Team vs. Blue Team is a key element in optimizing security measures. These two teams operate in diametrically opposed yet complementary ways, and their collaboration is essential to ensuring a solid security posture for an organization.
The Red Team: The Red Team—as we have seen—is the aggressive component of the equation. It is composed of cybersecurity specialists who attempt to penetrate an organization’s environment using a wide range of techniques and tactics similar to those of real hackers. Here are some of the main activities of the Red Team.
The Blue Team: Often coinciding with the Security Operation Center (SOC), it represents the organization’s defense. It is composed of security analysts, engineers, and other professionals who work to protect the IT environment. The Blue Team’s primary responsibilities include:
Threat Monitoring and Detection: The Blue Team constantly monitors the IT environment to identify suspicious behavior and anomalous activity.
Incident Response: When a threat is detected, the Blue Team takes action to mitigate the incident and restore security.
Proactive Protection: Implements preventative measures, such as firewalls, antivirus, and security patches, to reduce the risk of intrusion.
Forensic Analysis: The Blue Team analyzes security incidents to understand how they occurred and how to prevent them in the future.
The Purple Team: The Purple Team is a relatively new concept that focuses on collaboration between the Red Team and the Blue Team. These two teams meet regularly and brainstorm and analyze to improve their operations. Essentially, the Purple Team shares knowledge, experiences and best practices, generating a continuous improvement cycle, which allows us to refine and improve attack and response techniques and tactics and therefore improve the organization’s defenses.
Conclusions
The Red Team plays a vital role in corporate security, serving as a counter-intelligence force to test and improve an organization’s defenses. These security experts, acting as ethical hackers, test systems, applications, and infrastructure for vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
Red Team activities are not limited to identifying security flaws but also often include simulating realistic attacks to evaluate the Blue Team’s preparedness and response. This approach allows organizations to identify areas where they need to focus security efforts to mitigate cyber threats.
It’s important to note that the Red Team’s success depends on collaboration with the Blue Team. While the Red Team seeks to uncover vulnerabilities, the Blue Team is responsible for active defense and incident response. Together, these two teams work synergistically to strengthen the organization’s overall security.
The Red Team is not a threat, but an ally in the relentless fight against cyber threats. Organizations that invest in Red Teaming demonstrate a commitment to security and a desire to stay ahead of attackers. In a digital world where threats continue to evolve, the Red Team is a valuable tool for maintaining the security of data and IT resources.
Redazione The editorial team of Red Hot Cyber consists of a group of individuals and anonymous sources who actively collaborate to provide early information and news on cybersecurity and computing in general.
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