Red Teaming vs Pen Testing
Many get confused between penetration tests and Red Team, tactics that are sometimes spoken in the same sentence but have a very different nature. So what are the differences between the two, and why are they constantly confused one with another?
What Is A Penetration Test?
Penetration Testing is a way of assessing the security level of systems, applications, mobile services, and infrastructure.
This assessment begins with mapping the organization’s digital assets, including integrated third-party tools, user behavior, etc. The purpose of the test is to identify the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the defense systems and produce a report detailing the findings and recommendations.
At the end of the process, a full report receives all system vulnerabilities, hardware level, screenshots of the findings that have been detected, and the correction recommendations. After repairing the client’s findings, a re-examination (Re-Test) is performed to ensure that there are no additional gaps.
Types Of Penetration Tests
Application Pen Testing – This test detects the weaknesses in browser-based apps (such as a website, cocktails, etc.). The Appt is identifying the security system that can lead to clients’ information leakage, service prevention attacks, and disruption of the work course.
Infrastructure Penetration Test- examine the resilience of your organization’s devices, with the focus being the equipment connected to the internal network that does not have outside access (such as a router, printers, organization computers, and more) and more)
Mobile penetration test- Mobile infiltration test is also relevant to any professional who maintains sensitive information relating to his clients and is defined as a destination for hackers- lawyers, financial consultants, and the like.
What Is Red Teaming?
Red Teaming is a comprehensive assessment of the client’s defense capabilities, which requires a wide and holistic vision from an opponent’s point of view.
This assessment process is intended to meet the needs of complex organizations that deal with a variety of sensitive, physical, or processes. The goal of performing Red Team is to demonstrate how real-world attacks can incorporate tactics on its face, to achieve their purpose.
This service is rare, as Red Teaming requires multiple resources and therefore is significantly more expensive than penetration tests.
Red Teaming Process
Any red teaming begins with clients requesting an accurate assessment of whether an enemy can penetrate organizational assets and gain access to sensitive information.
The Red Team team then locates digital and physical assets, including networks, applications, and physical facilities.
The team tries to gain access in every way possible for these assets- and all means are kosher for the goal, from penetration, puffing, and physical infiltration of facilities.
Once they’ve gained internal access to the client’s assets, the team attempts to escalate their permissions.
The goal is to reach the company’s core operation systems- for example, manufacturing organizations that use SCADA equipment need to protect the operating systems that run the equipment.
Red Teaming Tactics
Some of the most common ways used in Red Teaming are:
Social engineering is a broad term that describes tactics of manipulating in human interaction in order to gain sensitive information or access from the victim. The purpose of these scams is often to lure users into revealing data, spreading malware, or giving access to restricted systems. Attacks can occur online, in person, and through other interactions.
Social engineering scams are built around how people think and act. As such, social engineering attacks are particularly useful for manipulating user behavior. Once an attacker understands what drives the user’s actions, they can effectively deceive and manipulate the user.
Network vulnerabilities- The corporate network is a critical cornerstone in corporate cyberspace, and its importance is reflected in its popularity as a target among the hacker community. Vulnerability in the corporate network is any weakness in the software, hardware, or workflow that can lead to a network breach.
Weakness in physical facilities- Obtaining access to a secure facility is often as easy as tracking someone through a door. Sometimes the team impersonates technical support or other professionals to gain access to server rooms and the like.
Web Application vulnerabilities- The transition to the digital world presents us with new challenges and significant dangers. An Internet interface through which you can communicate with customers and employees of the organization is essential for the continued existence of the organization.
The OWASP project is an online community that provides information, technologies, methodologies, and tools in the field of web application security. Perhaps the most known document of the community is the OWASP Top 10 – detailing the most critical security risks of web applications.
