In the current environment of cyberattacks and ransomware, companies must always look for ways to improve the security of their computing environment. But, as with many endeavors, a sense of complacency can creep in when no problems occur for an extended length of time.
Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new methods to deliver malware and steal sensitive data. Robust security demands equal vigilance in keeping unwanted intruders out of your company’s infrastructure.
In the world of cybersecurity, standing still often equates to falling behind. That’s where red teaming comes in, and what makes it a critical part of strong cybersecurity practices.
Let’s explore a bit about what red teaming is, and why it’s something you should consider for your business.
What is Red Teaming?
Red teaming is the practice of adopting an adversarial approach that challenges existing plans, policies, and systems.
The goal of red teaming is to eliminate obstacles to critical thinking that sometimes get in the way of adopting and implementing new IT security measures.
You see, it’s when everyone in an organization thinks security is fine, that complacency begins setting in. In reality, critical security gaps could easily exist that need to be addressed.
What you need then, is an outside perspective, and precisely where red teaming comes into play.
A red team can be comprised of external experts contracted through a third party or internal personnel. Their job is to view your environment from an adversarial perspective, identify security vulnerabilities, and recommend the necessary protective measures to close them.
By looking at your current environment through a “new set of eyes”, vulnerabilities can be discovered that put your organization’s valuable data at risk.
Benefits of Red Teaming
Companies can expect to enjoy multiple benefits from a red teaming exercise. Taken together, these benefits can enhance security and better protect valuable data resources.
- Red teams can assess existing security and identify previously undiscovered vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. It’s always better to find such issues yourself, and address them, before they’re used to launch a cyberattack against you.
- Working with a red team provides an opportunity for internal security teams to practice their responses to various cyberattacks. This exercise can be crucial in identifying inferior incident response capabilities. Once identified, they can be improved before they’re needed for a real attack.
- Maintaining regulatory compliance with security and privacy standards often requires the type of in-depth assessment provided by a red team. Proof of a red team exercise can even be used as evidence to demonstrate compliance with auditors.
- A red team exercise lets organizations test assumptions, and may result in the validation of current security controls. Based on this validation, security spending can be justified to corporate decision-makers who may be looking to trim the budget.
- It’s important to understand the consequences of a successful cyberattack on your business-critical systems. A red team can show how a single intrusion can trickle through your environment, resulting in extensive damage and data breaches.
Engaging a Reliable Red Teaming Partner
Unless your company has a large pool of security experts from which to draft an internal red team, your best option is to engage an external partner. Even companies with a large IT team can benefit from an outside perspective. Not only does it provide fresh eyes, but also helps avoid an internal conflicts-of-interest.
Blue Bastion, along with the support of our network division Ideal Integrations, can help.
We can provide an experienced and comprehensive red team, ready to evaluate your security from the POV of criminals trying to compromise your data.
Our red team can perform a thorough assessment that includes:
- External and internal vulnerability scans and penetration testing
- A review of how social engineering can impact your IT security
- Simulated data breaches to test incident response preparedness.
Simply contact us today at 412-349-6680, or fill out the form below, and our team of cybersecurity experts will create and execute the ultimate red teaming plan to protect your organization!
And, as always, stay vigilant.
