Red teaming services: can your company detect and stop a real attack?
We conduct advanced Red Team operations — realistic APT attack simulations that test your organization’s overall resilience: people, processes, and technology. We operate like real adversaries: a multi-week adversary simulation mapped to MITRE ATT&CK that also measures how fast your SOC detects and responds.
- MITREMapped to ATT&CK Framework
- 4–12 wksTypical operation length
- 0%Success rate in gaining access
- 30 daysFix verification included
- 01Spear-phishingT1566 · 3 clicks
- 02Initial accessT1078 · VPN without MFA
- 03Lateral movementT1021 · no EDR alert
- 04Kerberoasting → DAT1558.003
- 05Objective: customer dataT1041 · test exfiltration
- 12ATT&CK tactics
- 6days to detection
- 3objectives reached
Our team’s certifications
Red team operations are run by certified operators — OSEP, OSCE³, OSCP, OSWE and Red Team Ops among others — combining hands-on offensive experience with MITRE ATT&CK mapping.
What is red teaming?
Red Teaming is an advanced form of security testing that goes far beyond traditional penetration testing. It is a realistic, multi-vector attack simulation conducted by experienced operators, aimed at evaluating the organization’s ability to detect, respond to, and repel advanced threats (APT — Advanced Persistent Threats).
Unlike a pentest, a red team assessment evaluates not only technology but also people and processes — including the work of your Blue Team and SOC. Every action is mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, so the report shows exactly which techniques were detected and which went unnoticed.
- Realistic APT attack simulation
- Testing people, processes, and technology
- Mapping to MITRE ATT&CK
- Blue Team / SOC maturity assessment
- Multi-vector: phishing, network, physical, wireless
average time to detect an attacker in the network
of companies do not detect breaches on their own
ATT&CK — the global standard for describing tactics and techniques
individual quote after a scoping call — see pricing
Red team vs penetration testing: what is the difference
Both services have their place in a security strategy. The key is understanding the differences and choosing the right approach.
| Aspect | Pentest | Red team |
|---|---|---|
| Operation goal | Find as many vulnerabilities as possible | Achieve a specific business objective |
| Scope | Limited (e.g., 1 application) | Entire organization — people, processes, IT |
| Attack vectors | Primarily technical | Multi-vector (tech + social + physical) |
| Blue Team awareness | Usually informed | Unaware of the operation |
| Duration | 1–3 weeks | 4–12 weeks |
| Social engineering | Optional | ✓ Integral part |
| Physical testing | Usually not | ✓ If in scope |
| Reporting | Vulnerability list + CVSS | Attack narrative + MITRE ATT&CK |
| Blue Team assessment | No | ✓ Key component |
| Recommended for | Any organization, regularly | Mature organizations with SOC |
Not sure which one you need? If you have never tested your environment, start with classic penetration testing services and move to a red team assessment once your SOC has something to defend.
Scope: what our red team operations include
Comprehensive attack simulations tailored to your organization’s threat profile — from a full APT-style operation to purple team collaboration with your SOC.
Full Red Team Engagement
A complete, multi-week operation simulating an advanced attacker (APT). Includes OSINT reconnaissance, C2 infrastructure setup, initial access, lateral movement, persistence, and data exfiltration — all mapped to MITRE ATT&CK.
Assumed Breach
A scenario simulation where the attacker has already gained initial network access. We focus on privilege escalation, lateral movement, Active Directory domain takeover, and critical data exfiltration — testing the depth of the organization’s defense.
Social Engineering
Advanced phishing campaigns, vishing (voice phishing), pretexting, and tailgating. We test employee security awareness in realistic scenarios — from spear-phishing to building relationships with targets. Available as a stand-alone service: social engineering testing and phishing simulation.
Physical Security Testing
Physical security testing: unauthorized building entry attempts, access control bypass, RFID card cloning, connecting devices to the internal network (dropboxes), and security procedure verification.
Purple Team
Collaborative sessions with your Blue Team/SOC. The Red Team conducts attacks while the Blue Team learns to detect and block them in real time. An iterative approach that maximizes educational value and rapidly improves detection capabilities.
Custom C2 & Tooling
We use proprietary and customized Command & Control tools that bypass standard EDR/AV solutions. Our implants and infrastructure are built specifically for each operation, ensuring simulation realism.
Red team operation workflow step by step
Every Red Team operation follows precisely planned phases that mirror a real APT attack cycle.
- 01
Planning & Rules of Engagement
We define operation objectives, scope, systems excluded from testing, communication channels, and escalation procedures. We establish Trusted Agents — individuals in the organization aware of the operation. We sign NDAs and agreements defining the legal framework.
- 02
Reconnaissance (OSINT & Recon)
We gather information about the organization from public sources: company structure, employees (LinkedIn), domains, subdomains, data leaks, technologies, external infrastructure. We build target profiles for further operation phases.
- 03
Weaponization & Delivery
We prepare attack infrastructure: C2 servers, domains with reputation, SSL certificates, custom payloads bypassing EDR. We design delivery vectors: spear-phishing, watering hole, USB drop, physical intrusion.
- 04
Initial Access & Execution
We gain the first foothold in the organization’s network. This may involve code execution through phishing, external service exploitation, VPN/RDP attack, physical device connection, or use of stolen credentials.
- 05
Post-Exploitation & Lateral Movement
We escalate privileges, harvest credentials, map the internal network, and move through the infrastructure toward critical assets. We establish persistence — permanent access points resistant to restarts and updates.
- 06
Objectives & Data Exfiltration
We execute agreed-upon operation objectives: administrative account takeover, customer database access, data exfiltration simulation, AD domain takeover. We document every step with timestamps and evidence.
- 07
Reporting & Debrief
We deliver a complete report: Attack Narrative (step by step), MITRE ATT&CK mapping, analysis of what was detected vs. not detected by Blue Team, prioritized strategic and tactical recommendations. We conduct a debrief with the SOC/Blue Team.
MITRE ATT&CK tactics, assumed breach and purple teaming
Our operations are mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework — the global standard for describing attacker techniques and tactics. Below is the full set of tactics we reproduce in a MITRE ATT&CK red team operation.
Reconnaissance
Gathering information about the target before an attack
Resource Development
Building attack infrastructure and tools
Initial Access
Gaining initial network access
Execution
Executing malicious code in the environment
Persistence
Maintaining access despite restarts and changes
Privilege Escalation
Gaining higher system privileges
Defense Evasion
Evading detection by security systems
Credential Access
Stealing credentials and access tokens
Discovery
Mapping networks, systems, and users
Lateral Movement
Moving between systems in the network
Collection
Collecting critical data for exfiltration
Exfiltration
Extracting data outside the organization
Assumed breach assessment
A scenario in which we assume the attacker has already gained an initial foothold in the network. We shorten the reconnaissance phase and, in 2–4 weeks, test the depth of your defences and the ability of your SOC to detect an intruder in the internal environment.
Purple teaming
Collaborative sessions with your Blue Team/SOC. The red team replays techniques while the Blue Team learns to detect and block them in real time. The iterative approach maximises educational value and rapidly improves detection capabilities.
Red team assessment pricing
A red team operation is a tailored service — there is no off-the-shelf price list. We confirm the price after a scoping call about your objectives and environment.
Red team operation — individual quote after a scoping call. The cost depends on the objectives of the operation, the attack vectors in scope, the size of the organisation, the duration (4–12 weeks) and whether we start from zero or from an assumed breach position. Banks and financial institutions subject to DORA can combine a red team with threat-led testing for banks and financial institutions.
Included in every operation
- Report: executive summary + step-by-step attack narrative with timestamps
- Full MITRE ATT&CK mapping and analysis of detected vs undetected actions
- Blue Team/SOC maturity assessment and prioritised recommendations
- Debrief with your Blue Team and verification of fixes within 30 days
- Access to the VIPentest vulnerability management platform
What you get in the red team report
The report is written for the board and as a roadmap for your security team — not as a list of raw vulnerabilities.
Executive summary
A summary for management: whether the objectives of the operation were achieved, where the biggest risks lie and which decisions we recommend.
Attack narrative
Step by step with timestamps: what was done, when and how, and at which moment the Blue Team could have detected it.
MITRE ATT&CK mapping
Every tactic and technique assigned to the framework, with a clear mark on which actions were detected and which were not.
Blue Team / SOC assessment
Analysis of detection and response maturity: time to detect, alert quality, gaps in monitoring and in processes.
Strategic and tactical recommendations
Prioritised actions — from quick configuration fixes to changes in detection architecture and processes.
Debrief and VM platform
A joint session with your Blue Team, sharing knowledge about the techniques used, plus access to the vulnerability management platform with the status of every recommendation.
Who red teaming is for
Red teaming delivers the most value to organisations that already have detection and response capabilities worth testing.
Financial institutions
Banks, insurers and investment firms with an internal SOC, often subject to DORA and TIBER-EU, for whom a realistic scenario is a regulatory requirement. See threat-led testing for banks and financial institutions.
Critical infrastructure and public sector
Energy, industry and entities covered by NIS2 that must demonstrate the ability to detect and stop an advanced threat — including security testing for public institutions.
Mature SOC teams
Large corporations with their own Blue Team that want to measure detection effectiveness under conditions close to a real incident — including lateral movement and credential attacks inside Windows networks.
Companies protecting IP
Technology companies protecting intellectual property and customer data. If you do not have a mature Blue Team yet, begin with classic penetration testing services.
Frequently asked questions about red teaming
Answers to the most common questions about Red Team operations, their scope, duration and pricing.
How does Red Team differ from penetration testing?
Penetration testing focuses on detecting as many technical vulnerabilities as possible within a defined scope (e.g., a single web application, network segment). Red Team simulates a realistic, multi-vector APT attack — the goal is to achieve a specific business objective (e.g., AD domain takeover, customer data theft), while simultaneously testing people, processes, and technology. A key difference is also the assessment of the Blue Team/SOC’s ability to detect and respond to the attack. If you have never had a pentest, start with classic penetration testing services.
How long does a Red Team operation last?
A typical Red Team operation lasts 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the scope and environment complexity. This includes the reconnaissance phase (OSINT), attack infrastructure preparation, active attack phases, and detailed report preparation with a Blue Team debrief. Shorter engagements (e.g., Assumed Breach) may last 2–4 weeks.
Can Red Team disrupt business operations?
Red Team operations are conducted in a controlled and professional manner. Before starting, we define detailed Rules of Engagement, specify critical systems excluded from testing, establish emergency communication channels, and emergency stop procedures. The goal is to test security, not cause business downtime.
Who in the organization should know about the Red Team operation?
Typically, only a limited group of people — known as Trusted Agents — are aware of the Red Team operation. Usually this is the CISO, CTO, or designated project sponsor. The rest of the organization, including the SOC/Blue Team, is not informed. This is critical for simulation realism — it allows for a genuine assessment of the organization’s detection and response capabilities against an advanced threat.
What will I receive after the Red Team operation?
You will receive a comprehensive report containing: an Executive Summary for management, a detailed step-by-step Attack Narrative with timestamps, full MITRE ATT&CK Framework mapping, analysis of detected vs. undetected Red Team actions, Blue Team/SOC maturity assessment, prioritized strategic and tactical recommendations, and a results presentation. Additionally, we conduct a debrief with the Blue Team, sharing knowledge about the techniques used.
How much does a red team assessment cost?
Every red team operation is quoted individually after a scoping call — there is no off-the-shelf price list, because the cost depends on the number of objectives, the attack vectors in scope, the size of the organisation, the duration (4–12 weeks) and whether we start from zero or from an assumed breach position. After the call you receive a proposed scope, a schedule and a price. The price always includes the report with the attack narrative, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, a Blue Team debrief and verification of fixes within 30 days.
Which organisations benefit most from red teaming?
Red Team is most valuable for organizations with mature security teams (SOC, Blue Team) that want to test their detection and response capabilities under realistic conditions. These typically include: financial institutions and banks, energy sector and critical infrastructure companies, large corporations with internal SOCs, organizations subject to DORA, NIS2, or TIBER-EU regulations, and technology companies protecting intellectual property. If an organization does not yet have a mature Blue Team, we recommend starting with regular penetration testing.
What is assumed breach and when should we start with it?
Assumed breach is a scenario in which we assume the attacker has already gained an initial foothold — for example through a phished workstation or a compromised VPN account — and we run the operation from that point deeper into the network, testing the depth of your defences and the ability of your SOC to spot an intruder. Start with it when you want to measure the resilience of your internal environment in 2–4 weeks without a multi-week reconnaissance phase. It complements social engineering testing and phishing simulation and, for the financial sector, threat-led testing under DORA.
Find out if your organization is ready for a real attack
Contact us to discuss a Red Team operation scope tailored to your organization’s threat profile. Our certified Red Team operators will help plan a realistic simulation.
- Enquiry confirmedWe reply within 24 h on business days and ask about the scope.
- Scoping call under NDAWe agree on goals, environment, dates and access.
- Quote and test planUsually the same day after the call. No commitment.
- Fix verification within 30 days included
Write to us: free quote and scoping consultation
Tell us which objectives you want to verify (for example SOC readiness, resistance to phishing, protection of customer data) and whether you have your own Blue Team — we will prepare a proposed scope for a red team operation and reply within 24 hours. You can also email us at contact@vipentest.com.
