There are several factors and people involved within a red team engagement. Everyone will have their mindset and methodology to approach the engagement personnel; however, each engagement can be broken into three teams or cells. Below is a brief table illustrating each of the teams and a brief explanation of their responsibilities.
| Team | Definition |
|---|---|
| Red Cell | A red cell is the component that makes up the offensive portion of a red team engagement that simulates a given targetโs strategic and tactical responses. |
| Blue Cell | The blue cell is the opposite side of red. It includes all the components defending a target network. The blue cell is typically comprised of blue team members, defenders, internal staff, and an organisationโs management. |
| White Cell | Serves as referee between red cell activities and blue cell responses during an engagement. Controls the engagement environment/network. Monitors adherence to the ROE. Coordinates activities required to achieve engagement goals. Correlates red cell activities with defensive actions. Ensures the engagement is conducted without bias to either side. |
Definitions are sourced from redteam.guide.
These teams or cells can be broken down further into an engagement hierarchy.
Since this is a red team-oriented room, we will focus on the responsibilities of the red cell. Below is a table outlining the roles and responsibilities of members of the red team.
| Role | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Red Team Lead | Plans and organises engagements at a high levelโdelegates, assistant lead, and operators engagement assignments. |
| Red Team Assistant Lead | Assists the team lead in overseeing engagement operations and operators. Can also assist in writing engagement plans and documentation if needed. |
| Red Team Operator | Executes assignments delegated by team leads. Interpret and analyse engagement plans from team leads. |
As with most red team functions, each team and company will have its own structure and roles for each team member. The above table only acts as an example of the typical responsibilities of each role.
NOTE: The Rules of Engagement (ROE) is a document that gives permission to a penetration tester, defining the targets that the engagement applies to and the behaviours/techniques that