Cloud technology is a necessity for any company that aims to scale its business in a cost-effective and convenient way.
During the first months of the pandemic, cloud technology saved many organizations from going out of business by enabling remote work.
That period also recorded an increasing number of cyberattacks on cloud infrastructures – a trend that continued in 2021.
Cybersecurity lessons have been learned the hard way, but most businesses nowadays don’t take risks when it comes to cloud protection.
Organizations have intricate systems and protocols that mitigate and detect different types of cyberattacks in the cloud.
However, even layered security systems can backfire if not used correctly.
Information is constantly exchanged within the cloud and different people access and log into your network – causing misconfigurations and various flaws in the system that can be exploited by hackers.
One way to test if your security tools and protocols work like they’re supposed to is with red teaming.
Meaning of Red Teaming in Cybersecurity
Red teaming is a method that discovers pathways into your organization before cybercriminals do. It relies on simulated attacks on your network performed in a safe environment.
Red teaming tests and assesses security in unique ways:
- Tests not only the tool you use for security, but people who manage security systems as well
- Simulates attacks to determine how your IT would perform during a real attack instead of merely doing a scan to detect vulnerabilities
- Attacks the network with the latest techniques hackers used to breach other systems instead of testing only for the common threats
Red teaming includes observing the reaction of your security team to the threat. This gives you an overview of how they use security systems, how long does it take them to take action, and whether they suspect the exact type of threat you’re imposing on the system.
To ensure that your organization is protected from the latest criminal techniques, red teaming uses a resource called MITRE ATTACK Framework as a reference.
MITRE is a library of recent and past cybercriminal behavior. It’s regularly being updated with the latest hacking techniques that have been used in real attacks.
Testing the Cloud with Red Teaming
To conduct red teaming and test your cloud security, you have to:
- Pinpoint your objective
- Choose the members of two teams (red and blue teams)
- Simulate the attack in controlled conditions
- Analyze data of the simulated attack
The objective of red teaming has to be a clear and measurable goal. This includes deciding what kind of attack will be conducted, which part of the network will be tested, and defining desirable vs undesirable outcomes.
You need two teams for red teaming – red and blue teams.
The red team is the offensive one, and it has to attack assets, applications, or specific parts of networks as defined in objectives. It does so utilizing various techniques.
The blue team is unaware of the attack, while the red team uses any openings and vulnerabilities to perform a series of attacks.
Considering that the blue team doesn’t expect an attack, this exercise presents an opportunity to observe how a team would react during an actual attack.
It also reveals if they have subconscious cognitive biases (errors in thinking and assumptions) in their decision-making processes.
The next step is simulating attacks based on the plan in a safe environment while collecting data and observing how a blue team mitigates the threat.
Data is analyzed to determine if the attack has been successful based on the set goals.
After Red Teaming
Following the red teaming exercise, you will have data and results that indicate whether your team requires additional skill development training.
Documentation of the attack will also expose vulnerabilities in your system that have to be remedied.
The success of the simulated breach will determine if further improvements to the existing security system are necessary.
The Future is on the Cloud – Don’t Forget to Protect It
Cloud technology is being developed every day, and it’s going to have even wider applications in the future.
Today, we use it to make remote work accessible. Tomorrow, we might use it while sweeping the virtual rooms in Zuckenberg’s Metaverse.
The wide use of cloud technology will uncover new vulnerabilities that will have to be addressed on the go.
Regardless of what might represent new flaws in the system, all your employees, customers, and clients want to know is that the sensitive data they trust you with is safe.
Keeping your cloud safe not only means setting up layered security systems and protocols, but also continually testing if they work in order to improve them.
