In the modern landscape of cybersecurity, organizations are continuously at risk from cybercriminals, hacktivists, nation-state actors, and other malicious entities. To protect sensitive data and maintain the integrity of their systems, organizations must build robust security infrastructures. However, even the best security measures may be flawed or incomplete. To ensure resilience, organizations must proactively test their defenses, and that’s where red team engagements come into play.
A red team engagement is a controlled, simulated cyber attack designed to test an organization’s defenses and response mechanisms in a real-world scenario. Unlike traditional penetration testing, which typically focuses on finding vulnerabilities in specific systems, red team engagements involve a comprehensive attack that mimics the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real-world adversaries. Red teams don’t just look for technical vulnerabilities; they simulate complete attacks that aim to exploit weaknesses in people, processes, and technologies.
Red team engagements are critical because they help organizations identify their blind spots—areas where defenses are insufficient or untested. While most businesses focus on reactive measures like firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems, these systems can often be bypassed with sophisticated techniques. Red teams go beyond these static defenses and use a combination of tools, social engineering, and real-world attack methods to uncover vulnerabilities that might otherwise remain hidden.
The primary goal of a red team engagement is not just to breach defenses, but also to evaluate how effectively an organization can detect and respond to an attack. This includes testing the organization’s monitoring systems, response time, communication protocols, and ability to recover from a breach. The engagement typically progresses through various stages: from reconnaissance and initial access, to lateral movement, privilege escalation, and ultimately data exfiltration. At each stage, red teamers test different facets of an organization’s security posture, ensuring a holistic evaluation of its defenses.
While many companies have security teams dedicated to defending against cyber threats, red team engagements provide a different perspective by emulating the actions of an adversary. They offer a practical and often more realistic assessment of how an organization’s security measures hold up under the pressure of an actual attack. This helps organizations understand not only what vulnerabilities exist, but also how their personnel and systems react under attack, enabling them to develop more robust and adaptive security strategies.
Moreover, red team engagements provide a unique opportunity for cybersecurity professionals to apply their skills in real-world scenarios. For aspiring ethical hackers, red team engagements offer a chance to test theories, refine skills, and gain hands-on experience in a way that traditional training exercises cannot replicate. By simulating the tactics of actual attackers, red teamers can hone their skills in penetration testing, social engineering, and evasion techniques—ultimately becoming more effective in identifying and mitigating real threats.
Beyond technical challenges, red team engagements also highlight the human element of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is not just about technology; it’s about people, processes, and communication. A common tactic used by red teams is social engineering, where attackers exploit human psychology and organizational weaknesses to gain access to systems or confidential information. This can include phishing attacks, pretexting, or even physical access attempts, such as tailgating into secure areas. This human factor makes red team engagements particularly important, as they help organizations test how well their employees adhere to security protocols and how quickly they can identify and respond to social engineering attacks.
Red team engagements also help organizations gain a deeper understanding of the real-world consequences of a security breach. Instead of just identifying vulnerabilities in isolation, these engagements provide a broader context of how these vulnerabilities could be exploited by attackers to cause actual harm to the organization. Whether it’s financial loss, reputational damage, or the theft of sensitive data, the impact of a successful attack can be catastrophic. By simulating these scenarios, red teams help organizations recognize the importance of proactively addressing weaknesses before they are exploited by real attackers.
Additionally, red team engagements provide valuable insights for improving security awareness and employee training. After an engagement, the red team typically provides a comprehensive report outlining the attack methods used, vulnerabilities discovered, and the steps the organization can take to remediate these issues. These reports are not only valuable for the technical teams but also for leadership, as they help them understand the broader business risks associated with security threats. Furthermore, employees can use the results of the engagement to better understand the human aspects of security, including how to recognize phishing emails, avoid social engineering tactics, and respond effectively to security incidents.
In summary, red team engagements are a crucial element of a proactive cybersecurity strategy. They provide organizations with a realistic, hands-on approach to testing their defenses, identifying vulnerabilities, and improving their ability to respond to cyber threats. These engagements go beyond technical assessments, encompassing people and processes to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of an organization’s security posture. For individuals looking to enter the field of ethical hacking or cybersecurity, red team engagements offer invaluable opportunities to gain real-world experience and sharpen their skills. By simulating the tactics of real-world attackers, red teams help organizations strengthen their defenses, reduce risk, and stay one step ahead of potential adversaries.
My First Red Team Engagement – A Learning Experience
My journey into red teaming began with high expectations and excitement. As a freshly minted OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) graduate, I had completed rigorous training, hours of simulated labs, and a series of penetration tests in a controlled environment. Armed with my tools—Cobalt Strike, Nmap, Metasploit, BloodHound—I felt confident that I was ready for the real world. When the opportunity arose to lead my first red team engagement, I saw it as the perfect chance to apply my knowledge and showcase my skills.
The engagement was for a mid-sized financial firm that had recently expressed concerns about their security posture and the threat of insider attacks. They wanted a comprehensive red team assessment to evaluate how their defenses would hold up against a sophisticated and realistic adversary. The task was clear: simulate a real-world attack, breach their defenses, and ultimately exfiltrate sensitive data. It was an exciting opportunity, and I was eager to dive in.
However, my enthusiasm would soon meet reality, and I quickly realized that red teaming wasn’t as simple as running a few scans and exploiting known vulnerabilities. Despite my technical knowledge, I quickly found that real-world engagements are far messier and more complex than the neat, structured environments I had trained in.
The first mistake I made was assuming that my training would be enough to handle the complexities of a live engagement. What I didn’t account for was the unique challenges posed by a real-world organization. The firm’s infrastructure was far more complex than any lab environment I had tested in, and there were several factors I didn’t anticipate, such as internal politics, a lack of coordination within my team, and the unrelenting pressure to perform well.
I was ready, but not fully prepared.
Mistake #1: Skipping Detailed Recon
Reconnaissance is one of the most critical steps in any red team engagement. It involves gathering as much information as possible about the target before launching the actual attack. In training, I had learned that reconnaissance should be thorough and methodical. However, when faced with a tight timeline and the pressure to deliver, I rushed into scanning internal IPs and ports without spending enough time on passive OSINT (open-source intelligence) first.
In hindsight, I should have dedicated more time to identifying the target’s external assets, such as forgotten subdomains, legacy portals, and shadow IT infrastructure that could be vulnerable to attack. These external assets are often overlooked, but they can be goldmines for attackers. Instead, I jumped straight into active scanning with tools like Nmap, which is typically used for discovering open ports and services on a network. While scanning internal systems is important, without having a full understanding of the target’s external presence, I missed key vulnerabilities that could have been exploited much earlier.
Good reconnaissance helps build the foundation of a successful red team engagement. It allows you to identify weak spots, map out the organization’s attack surface, and plan your moves accordingly. By skipping this step, I not only wasted precious time but also missed several low-hanging fruit that could have given me faster access to the network. I learned the hard way that effective recon isn’t just about scanning ports—it’s about understanding the target’s full digital footprint and leveraging tools like Shodan, FOCA, TheHarvester, and SpiderFoot for passive data gathering.
Mistake #2: Poor Team Coordination
Another major issue was poor coordination within my team. We had multiple red teamers working on different attack vectors, but we didn’t take the time to align our tactics, goals, or timelines. As a result, we ended up duplicating efforts, wasting time, and creating unnecessary chaos.
For example, while I was exploiting SMB (Server Message Block) vulnerabilities to gain access to the network, another teammate was simultaneously brute-forcing web application credentials, unaware that I had already found a faster and more efficient entry point. This lack of communication meant that we weren’t leveraging each other’s strengths and expertise effectively.
Team coordination is crucial in a red team engagement. In the real world, no red teamer operates in isolation. It’s a collaborative effort where each team member has a specialized role, whether it’s social engineering, exploiting vulnerabilities, or post-exploitation activities. Clear communication and planning are essential to avoid stepping on each other’s toes and to ensure that everyone is working toward the same objectives. We should have had regular check-ins to align our efforts and discuss any findings or progress, which would have prevented the redundant work and helped keep things organized.
In future engagements, I implemented daily stand-ups and used tools like Mattermost and shared OneNote files to keep everyone on the same page. These small changes made a huge difference in terms of coordination, allowing us to work more efficiently and effectively toward a common goal.
Mistake #3: Overusing Noisy Tools
One of the most eye-opening lessons I learned during my first red team engagement was the importance of staying under the radar. During my attempt to exploit the organization’s vulnerabilities, I relied heavily on automated tools like Nessus and Metasploit. While these tools are great for penetration testing, they can be incredibly noisy, especially when used in live production environments. My lack of consideration for stealth led to my actions being detected by the company’s EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) systems within hours.
The organization’s security team had set up monitoring and detection systems specifically designed to identify unusual or malicious behavior. Automated tools like Metasploit send high volumes of traffic and generate easily identifiable signatures, which is exactly what happened in my case. The security systems flagged the activities as suspicious, and the engagement was quickly compromised.
The lesson here was clear: red teaming isn’t just about exploiting vulnerabilities; it’s about doing so in a way that mimics the subtlety and stealth of a real-world attacker. In future engagements, I began using custom payloads, low-profile enumeration techniques, and living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) to blend into the environment. By crafting my own tools and payloads, I was able to avoid detection and maintain a more stealthy presence.
Mistake #4: Lack of Evasion Techniques
In addition to being detected early, my payloads were flagged by antivirus software almost immediately. I had simply used default, unencrypted payloads, assuming they would be effective. What I didn’t account for was the prevalence of antivirus and endpoint protection systems that could easily detect these standard attack methods.
I quickly realized that red teaming is as much about evading detection as it is about exploiting weaknesses. Using encrypted payloads, obfuscation tools, and applying evasion techniques became essential. I learned about Shellter, Veil, and various PowerShell obfuscation methods to make my payloads less detectable. These tools allow you to encode or encrypt your payloads, making it much harder for antivirus programs to flag them. Moreover, learning how to bypass AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface) protections and using DNS tunneling for covert communications were critical techniques I adopted after this engagement.
Evasion is not just about hiding from security tools; it’s about operating under the radar long enough to reach your goals. Whether it’s maintaining persistence or conducting lateral movement, staying undetected is paramount to a successful red team engagement.
Mistake #5: Weak Reporting and Debrief
The final area where my team and I failed was in the report and debriefing process. After the engagement was concluded, we provided the client with logs, screenshots, and raw technical details of our findings. However, we did not communicate the business impact of these vulnerabilities clearly. The report was too technical, lacked context, and did not properly articulate the risk that the discovered vulnerabilities posed to the business.
Effective reporting is crucial in red team engagements. The goal is not just to highlight vulnerabilities but to explain how these weaknesses could be exploited by a real attacker and what the consequences would be for the organization. In the future, I learned to frame my findings within the context of the organization’s operations, using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to map the attack techniques and showing how they could lead to real-world consequences like financial loss, reputational damage, or data theft.
The debrief and report are where the true value of red teaming lies. By clearly articulating the risk to the business and providing actionable remediation steps, the red team ensures that the organization can improve its defenses and respond more effectively to future threats.
My first red team engagement was a failure in many ways, but it became a pivotal learning experience. The mistakes I made—rushing into reconnaissance, poor team coordination, overusing noisy tools, lack of evasion, and weak reporting—were painful, but they taught me valuable lessons. Red teaming isn’t just about hacking or exploiting vulnerabilities; it’s about stealth, coordination, and communication.
After that engagement, I took a step back and reevaluated my approach. I refined my techniques, embraced the importance of reconnaissance, and learned how to communicate my findings effectively to clients. This experience was not a setback—it was an opportunity for growth. Red teaming is about learning from mistakes, adapting, and becoming better at simulating the tactics of real-world attackers.
As I continue on my journey as a red teamer, I am now more equipped to handle the challenges that come with engaging in real-world cyber defense tests. If you’re just starting your red team career, take these lessons to heart. Embrace failure, learn from it, and continuously improve. The world of red teaming is complex, dynamic, and challenging, but with each engagement, you’ll become a smarter, more effective ethical hacker.
What Went Wrong and What I Learned
After completing my first red team engagement, I spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on the experience. It became clear that my mistakes were not just technical but strategic and process-driven. As with any professional endeavor, learning from failure is an essential part of growth, especially in the world of cybersecurity, where success is often built on trial and error.
The engagement had been difficult for several reasons, but the lessons it taught me were invaluable. I didn’t just learn about new tools and techniques; I also learned about the importance of thorough planning, collaboration, and stealth. This section will delve deeper into the mistakes I made, the lessons I learned, and how those lessons shaped my approach to red teaming in subsequent engagements.
1. Reconnaissance Is More Than Just Scanning
In the world of red teaming, reconnaissance is the bedrock upon which all other actions are built. I underestimated the importance of gathering information about the target before jumping into the technical exploitation phase. In my initial excitement to start the engagement, I made the mistake of diving straight into scanning internal systems. While scanning is a necessary component of any engagement, it is only a small part of the reconnaissance process.
Real-world engagements demand that you take a step back and assess the broader attack surface, which includes both external and internal assets. External assets can include forgotten subdomains, legacy systems, exposed services, and even publicly available data that could provide valuable entry points. In my case, I missed several external vulnerabilities—such as open ports on subdomains and outdated services—that could have provided much easier access.
The lesson I learned is that reconnaissance isn’t just about scanning networks and open ports; it’s about gathering intelligence in a methodical and thorough way. Passive open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools like Shodan, FOCA, and TheHarvester are invaluable for uncovering hidden assets that could be exploited. In future engagements, I dedicated a significant portion of my time to passive reconnaissance, ensuring that I had a comprehensive understanding of the target’s external presence before moving forward with active scanning.
Additionally, I realized the importance of continuously updating reconnaissance throughout the engagement. During my first red team test, I neglected to revisit the recon phase after gaining initial access, which led to missed opportunities for further exploitation. Red teaming is an iterative process, and you should constantly revisit your intelligence gathering as new information becomes available.
2. Effective Team Coordination Is Key
Red team engagements are collaborative by nature. They are not the work of a single individual but a team effort that requires clear communication, coordination, and alignment. Unfortunately, my team and I failed to properly coordinate during the first engagement, which led to wasted efforts and duplicated work.
For instance, while I was exploiting SMB vulnerabilities on the network, my teammate was attempting to brute-force web application credentials, unaware that I had already gained access through a different vector. This lack of communication meant we were essentially working against each other rather than together. Our efforts were misaligned, and we missed valuable opportunities to move forward as a cohesive unit.
The lesson here is simple: effective coordination is the backbone of a successful red team engagement. As red teamers, we need to have a clear strategy, defined roles, and well-established communication channels. In future engagements, I made sure to establish regular check-ins and use collaboration tools like Mattermost, Slack, or even shared documents like OneNote to ensure that everyone on the team was aligned and aware of each other’s progress.
Another important lesson from this experience is the need for a shared playbook. In red team engagements, having a predefined set of tactics and procedures helps ensure that everyone on the team follows the same methodology. A good playbook includes not just the tools and techniques you plan to use but also the timing, goals, and expected outcomes of each phase. The playbook ensures that the team is working toward a common goal, which is critical for preventing overlap and confusion.
3. Stealth is Critical: Use Tools Carefully
One of the hardest lessons I learned was the importance of stealth in red teaming. In a controlled environment, it’s easy to get carried away with using automated tools like Metasploit and Nessus, as they are quick and effective at exploiting known vulnerabilities. However, I failed to account for the noise these tools generate. When used on a live network, tools like Metasploit can trigger security detection systems like EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), alerting defenders that something malicious is happening.
I learned that red team engagements aren’t just about exploiting vulnerabilities—they’re about doing so without being detected. I had been too reliant on loud, automated tools that left telltale signs that the security systems could detect. In hindsight, I should have used more subtle techniques, such as manual enumeration, custom payloads, or Living-Off-the-Land Binaries (LOLBins), which are less likely to trigger security alarms.
Going forward, I focused more on creating custom payloads that were tailored to the environment and less likely to be detected by signature-based defenses. Tools like Cobalt Strike allow for custom payloads and low-profile beaconing, and I became more proficient in using PowerShell obfuscation, DNS tunneling, and other stealthy methods to evade detection.
The key takeaway from this experience was the importance of avoiding detection and being mindful of the noise created by automated tools. Red team engagements are about stealth, precision, and timing. If the defenders know you’re there, you’re no longer simulating a real-world attack. You’re just providing a training session for their security team.
4. Evasion Techniques Are Non-Negotiable
A critical part of red teaming that I underestimated was the art of evasion. In training, I learned the basics of exploiting vulnerabilities and gaining initial access, but I failed to appreciate how quickly payloads could be flagged by antivirus software and other security tools. My payloads were detected almost immediately, and my actions were logged by the company’s defenses.
I didn’t realize that successful red teaming requires more than simply exploiting technical vulnerabilities—it also requires the ability to bypass security defenses. During this engagement, my payloads were flagged by the client’s antivirus software, which meant that I was detected almost as soon as I started executing my attack. This showed me how important it is to master evasion techniques, such as payload obfuscation and encryption. I also realized that bypassing AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface) and using shellcode injection techniques were crucial to evading detection.
I took this lesson to heart and dedicated time to learning how to properly evade defenses. I started using tools like Veil, Shellter, and custom scripts to obfuscate my payloads and make them more difficult for security tools to detect. Evasion isn’t just about avoiding detection—it’s about staying persistent on the network, moving laterally, and achieving your objectives without raising alarms.
5. Reporting: Don’t Just List Findings, Explain Their Impact
Another critical mistake was how we handled the reporting phase of the engagement. We had gathered extensive technical data, including logs, screenshots, and vulnerability details, but our report lacked context. We had failed to explain the potential impact of the vulnerabilities we found and how they could be exploited by a real-world attacker. The report didn’t resonate with the client’s CISO, who found it difficult to interpret the findings in terms of business risk.
Effective reporting is just as important as the engagement itself. The purpose of a red team engagement is not only to identify vulnerabilities but also to explain how these vulnerabilities could be exploited and what the consequences would be. In future engagements, I focused on making the report more accessible by including clear, business-relevant explanations and actionable recommendations. I used frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to map out the attack lifecycle, which helped the client understand how an attack could unfold from start to finish.
The takeaway here was that technical findings alone aren’t enough. A successful red team engagement must include a report that explains the impact of the findings in terms that business leaders can understand. The goal is to help the organization improve its defenses—not just to provide technical data that may be overlooked or misunderstood.
My first red team engagement was far from perfect, but it was an invaluable learning experience. I made several mistakes, ranging from inadequate reconnaissance and poor team coordination to underestimating the importance of stealth and evasion techniques. However, each mistake presented an opportunity to improve and refine my approach to red teaming.
Red teaming is not just about exploiting vulnerabilities—it’s about thinking like a real-world attacker, using stealth, coordinating effectively with your team, and understanding the broader business implications of your actions. It’s also about learning from failure and constantly evolving to become a more effective adversary.
As I continue to gain more experience in red teaming, I carry these lessons with me. Each engagement is an opportunity to improve my techniques, develop new strategies, and learn from past mistakes. Red teaming is an ongoing journey of growth, and failure is simply a stepping stone on the path to becoming a better, more effective ethical hacker. For anyone starting out in red teaming, remember that mistakes are inevitable, but they are also the best teachers. Embrace the process, learn from each engagement, and continue to refine your skills.
Evolving Into a Smarter Red Teamer
After my first red team engagement, I realized that I had much to learn, not just from the technical aspects of hacking but from the approach, strategy, and mindset required to be successful in this field. My initial failure was frustrating, but it became the turning point that shaped the way I approached future engagements. In this section, I’ll dive into how my approach to red teaming evolved after that initial failure, what strategies I implemented to improve my performance, and how I transformed my perspective to become a more effective red teamer.
1. The Importance of Thorough Reconnaissance
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from my first engagement was the importance of thorough and methodical reconnaissance. In my rush to dive into the technical aspects of the engagement, I failed to conduct sufficient reconnaissance, which led to missing several potential entry points and making assumptions that ultimately hindered my progress.
In future engagements, I took a more disciplined approach to reconnaissance. I realized that spending time gathering information about the target’s network, employees, and digital presence is not a luxury but a necessity. I began to allocate at least 30% of the engagement time to reconnaissance. This time wasn’t just spent scanning internal systems but included external passive OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) gathering. Tools like Shodan, FOCA, TheHarvester, and SpiderFoot became integral parts of my toolset for gathering data about external assets, exposed services, and shadow IT infrastructure that might have been overlooked by the target.
By focusing more on reconnaissance, I was able to identify vulnerable assets such as open ports, outdated software, and weak security controls much earlier in the engagement, which gave me a clear path for exploitation. A thorough reconnaissance phase not only provided me with crucial attack vectors but also helped shape the entire engagement strategy. The more information I gathered up front, the more precise and efficient my attacks became.
Additionally, I began to realize that reconnaissance is not a one-time task. During future engagements, I continuously revisited the recon phase as I gained new access and discovered new layers of the organization’s infrastructure. This iterative approach to reconnaissance allowed me to adapt my attack plan in real time based on fresh insights, ensuring that I stayed one step ahead of the target’s defenses.
2. Collaboration and Communication Are Key
The second major lesson I learned from my first engagement was the importance of clear communication and coordination within the team. A red team engagement is a team effort, and when everyone isn’t on the same page, it leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. In my first engagement, poor coordination resulted in duplicated efforts, wasted time, and confusion among the team members.
I learned the hard way that clear communication is vital in every stage of the engagement. I implemented daily check-ins with my team to align on goals, share findings, and adjust strategies as needed. We established a collaborative environment where everyone had access to real-time updates, ensuring that we didn’t overlap or duplicate tasks. We used Mattermost for communication, Trello for task management, and shared documents such as OneNote for recording and updating our progress.
Having regular meetings allowed us to share our findings, identify new attack vectors, and adapt our approach based on the insights we gathered. It also helped keep the team motivated, as everyone had a clear sense of purpose and direction. Red team engagements are complex and require a strategic approach, so fostering collaboration and ensuring everyone is aligned is crucial for success.
I also learned that assigning clear roles based on team members’ strengths and expertise was essential. For example, one person may be better at social engineering, while another might excel at network exploitation. By dividing tasks based on individual skills, we maximized our efficiency and effectiveness. This division of labor helped avoid overlap and ensured that each team member could focus on what they do best.
3. Stealth and Evasion: The Core of Red Teaming
Red team engagements are more than just exploiting vulnerabilities—they’re about doing so without being detected. Stealth and evasion became critical focuses for me after my initial failure. During my first engagement, I relied heavily on automated tools like Metasploit and Nessus, which, while powerful, generate a lot of noise and can easily trigger detection systems. As a result, my actions were quickly detected by the target’s security defenses, and the engagement was compromised before I could achieve my objectives.
To improve my stealth techniques, I focused on customizing my tools and payloads to be less detectable by endpoint protection and detection systems. I learned to craft more subtle payloads and used tools like Cobalt Strike for low-profile beaconing and PowerShell obfuscation techniques to evade detection. In some cases, I also used LOLBins—living-off-the-land binaries—by leveraging legitimate system tools and processes to perform tasks without raising alarms.
Evasion isn’t just about hiding from security tools; it’s about blending in with the environment and being able to move laterally and escalate privileges without triggering defensive mechanisms. By taking a more stealthy approach, I significantly reduced the chances of detection and increased the effectiveness of my attacks.
Moreover, I learned that red team engagements often require a low-and-slow approach. Instead of rushing through the exploitation phases, I focused on carefully crafting my attack vectors and executing them in a way that wouldn’t immediately raise suspicions. By slowing down and being methodical, I was able to maintain persistence on the network for a much longer period, giving me the opportunity to gather more intelligence and pivot between systems undetected.
Stealth and evasion became second nature after this experience. I now always ensure that my actions are as discreet as possible and that I am constantly testing my payloads and tactics for potential detection before executing them in a live environment.
4. Reporting and Communication with the Client
In addition to the technical aspects of red teaming, one of the most important lessons I learned was the value of clear, business-focused reporting. During my first engagement, the report I submitted to the client was too technical and lacked context. While I had detailed logs, screenshots, and vulnerabilities listed, I didn’t properly communicate the potential business impact of these issues. The client’s CISO was not impressed by the technical details alone—he wanted to understand how the findings would affect the business, what the risks were, and how they could mitigate them.
This experience taught me the importance of not just documenting vulnerabilities but also mapping them to real-world risks. In future engagements, I ensured that my reports provided context for the client’s leadership team, highlighting how vulnerabilities could be exploited by real-world attackers to cause financial loss, reputational damage, or legal consequences. I learned to use frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to map out attack vectors and show how each vulnerability could lead to a full-scale compromise.
Effective reporting also requires clear and actionable recommendations. It’s not enough to just point out vulnerabilities; a red team engagement must offer guidance on how to mitigate the risks and strengthen defenses. I made sure that my reports included practical remediation steps, including specific configurations, security patches, and best practices to follow.
As I improved my reporting, I found that clients were more engaged with the process. They appreciated the clarity and relevance of the information, which helped them understand the broader impact of the findings. Clear reporting also strengthened my relationship with the client, as they saw me not just as an attacker but as a partner helping them improve their security posture.
5. Embracing Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Red teaming is a constantly evolving field, and I learned that no engagement is the same. Each organization has a unique environment, different security controls, and varying levels of awareness. What works in one engagement might not work in another, and every failure is an opportunity to refine and improve your techniques.
After my first engagement, I dedicated myself to continuous learning. I studied the MITRE ATT&CK framework in greater depth, which gave me a comprehensive understanding of the tactics and techniques employed by real-world attackers. I also spent more time practicing in lab environments, honing my skills in areas such as lateral movement, privilege escalation, and social engineering.
Red teamers must constantly adapt to new tools, techniques, and defensive measures. I kept up with the latest research in cybersecurity, participated in community forums, and collaborated with colleagues to exchange ideas and improve our collective knowledge. The more I learned, the more effective I became as a red teamer.
Additionally, I learned to think like a defender. Understanding how defenders think and what measures they put in place to detect and thwart attacks was invaluable in improving my red teaming skills. It allowed me to better anticipate how security systems might respond to my actions and craft more effective evasion strategies.
My journey from failure to improvement was not easy, but it was incredibly rewarding. Each red team engagement has taught me something new, and I’ve learned to adapt and refine my approach based on the lessons from my past mistakes. From reconnaissance and team coordination to stealth and reporting, I’ve become a more effective and strategic red teamer.
Red teaming is not just about finding vulnerabilities; it’s about simulating real-world attacks, working collaboratively with your team, and providing valuable insights that help organizations improve their security posture. Through my growth, I’ve learned that the true value of red teaming lies not just in finding weaknesses but in helping organizations strengthen their defenses and better prepare for real cyber threats.
As I continue to develop as a red teamer, I embrace the fact that failure is an inevitable part of the learning process. Each engagement, whether successful or not, provides me with invaluable experiences that help me become a more capable and effective ethical hacker. The key is to keep learning, keep improving, and always strive to think like the adversary. Red teaming is a journey, and it’s one that never ends.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on my first red team engagement, it’s clear that failure, while difficult at the time, was one of the most important catalysts for my growth in the cybersecurity field. When I first embarked on that engagement, I thought I had all the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed. However, the reality of red teaming—especially when it involves real-world scenarios—proved to be much more complex than what I had been taught in training labs.
The lessons learned from that first engagement were not just technical but also strategic, personal, and process-oriented. Each mistake I made—whether it was skipping over proper reconnaissance, poor team coordination, or using noisy tools—became a lesson that fundamentally changed how I approach red teaming today. Red teaming is as much about preparation, patience, and adaptation as it is about technical prowess. The experience taught me the importance of thorough planning, communication, and stealth.
More importantly, red teaming helped me understand that success is not measured by how many systems you exploit or how quickly you breach the perimeter. Rather, it’s about learning, adapting, and becoming better each time. The ability to reflect on your mistakes, adjust your methods, and grow from those experiences is what separates an average red teamer from an exceptional one. In cybersecurity, you cannot afford to stay stagnant—especially when the threats we face are constantly evolving.
In hindsight, I realize that my first engagement was not a failure but a stepping stone that helped me mature as both a red teamer and a cybersecurity professional. It was through those early missteps that I began to appreciate the full scope of red teaming: the combination of technical expertise, teamwork, creativity, and adaptability required to execute a successful engagement. It was this mix of skill and mindset that ultimately shaped my success in subsequent engagements.
For those just starting out in red teaming or anyone looking to grow in the field, I want to emphasize that failure is inevitable, but it should never be feared. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to fuel your improvement. In the world of red teaming, there is always something new to learn, a new tactic to explore, and a new challenge to face. The more you fail and learn from those failures, the better prepared you will be for the next engagement—and the one after that.
Red teaming, at its core, is about continuous learning and constant adaptation. As I continue to evolve in this field, I keep refining my skills, deepening my understanding, and broadening my knowledge. The journey is ongoing, and with each engagement, I become a smarter, more effective adversary. The mistakes from my first engagement were critical lessons in shaping my career and improving the way I approach red teaming.
To anyone starting in red teaming: embrace the process, be patient with yourself, and understand that every engagement—successful or not—teaches you something. Red teaming is about much more than just technical skills; it’s about thinking like an attacker, collaborating effectively with your team, and understanding the broader business and security context of each engagement. The road to becoming an expert is long, but the lessons along the way will make you stronger and more resilient. So, take that first step, embrace the failures, and keep pushing forward to improve and evolve.
Red teaming isn’t just about hacking systems; it’s about building a mindset of continuous growth and evolution, becoming a better professional, and making organizations safer in the process.