Red Teaming: Simulated Cyberattacks to Test Business Resilience
In today’s constantly evolving digital threat landscape, understanding your organisation’s vulnerabilities is key to improving security measures. Var Group’s Red Teaming service simulates real-world cyberattacks, carried out by experts who think and act like actual cybercriminals, to rigorously test your company’s defenses.
What Is Red Teaming and Why Is It Critical for Cybersecurity?
Red Teaming is a controlled cyberattack exercise based on realistic scenarios and specific objectives. Unlike standard penetration testing, Red Teaming evaluates the organisation’s entire defence strategy, including: The protection level of IT and OT infrastructures The responsiveness of SOC and IT teams The resilience of internal policies and procedures The ability to detect and respond to attacks
Red Teaming vs. Penetration Testing
While both services aim to identify vulnerabilities, key differences exist: Penetration Testing is more technical and asset-specific Red Teaming is holistic and strategic, simulating real business objectives such as data theft, account compromise, or physical access This approach enables organisations to assess resilience against Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) as if facing a genuine cyberattack.
Phases of a Red Teaming Exercise
- Scenario Definition: Simulated targets, attack techniques, and rules of engagement
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Reconnaissance & Intelligence Gathering: OSINT research, network scans, and social engineering
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Intrusion and Lateral Movement: Exploiting vulnerabilities, targeted phishing, privilege escalation
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Objective Achievement: Data exfiltration, access to critical systems, ransomware simulations
- Debriefing & Remediation: Detailed reporting, technical evidence, and improvement recommendations
Benefits of Red Teaming for Your Organisation
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Realistic testing of corporate security without the risk of an actual attack
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Enhanced detection and response capabilities for IT and SOC teams
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Increased awareness of internal and external risks
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Evidence-based prioritisation of security investments
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Alignment with international best practices such as MITRE ATT&CK and NIST 800-53