What Is Red Team Testing? In red team testing, an attacker studies your organization and its network, using every available tool and technique to take over, exfiltrate data from or otherwise compromise predefined high-value targets (HVTs). These may include Social Security numbers, sensitive company data or other critical assets identified during scoping. Red team testing has two primary goals: 1. Determine the extent of damage an attacker could inflict on HVTs. 2. Evaluate the organization’s ability to detect and respond to such activities. By simulating real-world attack scenarios, red team testing provides a clearer picture of network resilience and response effectiveness. Why Is Red Team Testing Important? Red team testing complements traditional penetration testing by demonstrating how an attacker would actively compromise your systems. It prepares organizations for modern cyber threats, including data theft and system destruction. Today’s cyberattacks, turbocharged by advances in artificial intelligence, leverage both advanced and traditional techniques, such as: • Phishing: Tricking users into revealing sensitive information. • Compromised credentials: Exploiting stolen passwords. • Insider threats: Malicious or careless employees misusing access to critical systems. By proactively addressing these risks, red teaming enables organizations to identify and secure critical vulnerabilities, improve monitoring systems and strengthen incident response. This reduces the impact of real-world breaches and ensures teams are ready to respond when it matters most. By simulating real-world attack scenarios, red team testing provides a clearer picture of network resilience and response effectiveness. How Does Red Team Testing Work? The red team testing process typically includes the following stages: 1. Open-Source Intelligence The first phase of red team testing focuses on gathering publicly available information about the target organization from resources that criminals use. This involves conducting thorough outside reconnaissance without direct interaction with the network. Red teamers analyze company websites, social media profiles and domain records — just as real attackers do — to craft a tailored attack strategy. 2. Initial Attack Once the necessary intelligence is gathered, the red team executes the initial attack using social engineering, phishing attempts and vulnerability scanning tactics. The goal is to gain an initial foothold within the organization, often by exploiting weak points in security systems or tricking users into revealing sensitive information. 3. Persistent Attack In this phase, the red team builds on the initial successes by expanding access using techniques like privilege escalation and lateral movement. This tests how well an organization can detect, contain and respond to an attacker who is already inside. 4. Reporting In the final phase, the red team delivers a detailed report highlighting strengths, weaknesses and key takeaways identified during the test. The report provides a clear narrative of your internal defenses 23 NEBRASKA BANKER
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