Defensive security vs offensive security

This section explains two important concepts within the cybersecurity field, defensive security and offensive security, and their importance for an effective organizational security policy

• Become familiar with defensive security and offensive security approaches, including SIRT/CSIRT (Security Incident Response Team/Computer Security Incident Response Team), SOC (Security Operations Center), red teaming, and ethical hacking.

Since a malicious hacker may be an insider or an outsider, a proper attack simulation often necessitates a two-prone approach to security testing: outsider’s attack (associated with offensive security and black box testing) and insider’s attack (associated with defensive security and white box testing).

Two key cybersecurity paradigms

Strategy	Offensive Security	Defensive Security
Approach	Ethical hacking, “hacker powered security” (e.g., HackerOne and Bugcrowd)	Diligence, SDLC/agile security, DevSecOps/security-by-design, best practices, IA (Information Assurance)
Mindset	Attacker, adversarial, damage, break, deceive, trick	Defender, ally, protect, prevent, mitigate
Skillsets	How to penetrate an information system	How to protect an information system (risk assessment/governance skills)
Conflict of Interests	Less conflict of interests (hired external ethical hackers)	Conflict of interests (hackers are typically employees)
Related Paradigms	Red teaming	Hygiene culture, Security culture, blue teaming
Permission of Owner	Authorized, legal	Authorized, legal
Testing Approaches	Blackbox testing, Black hat hacking Third party audit/auditor perspective of infosec governance	Whitebox testing, White hat hacking
Authentication	Unauthenticated scan (outsider attack)	Authenticated scan (simulation of insider attack)

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Ethical hacking vs red teaming

Ethical hacking vs red teaming organizational position

1. White Hat Hackers (Ethical Hackers)

• Typically Contracted Professionals (but not always):

  • Many white hat hackers work as independent consultants or are employed by cybersecurity firms that provide penetration testing, bug bounty hunting, or security audits to multiple clients.

  • Some may also be full-time employees of a company, especially in large organizations with dedicated security teams.

• Common Roles:

  • Bug bounty hunters (freelancers who find vulnerabilities for rewards).

  • Penetration testers (hired to simulate attacks).

  • Security researchers (may work for firms or independently).

2. Red Teams

• Usually Company Employees (but not always):

  • Red teams are often internal teams within an organization tasked with simulating real-world attacks to test defenses.

  • Some companies outsource red teaming to specialized firms (making them contracted professionals).

• Key Difference from White Hats:

  • Red teams focus on long-term, adversarial simulations (like advanced persistent threats), whereas white hats may do shorter-term assessments (like pentests).

General Rule of Thumb

Role	Typically Employed By	Focus
White Hat Hacker	External (but sometimes internal)	Pentests, bug bounties, vulnerability research
Red Team	Internal (but sometimes external)	Advanced attack simulations, adversary emulation

Overlap & Inconsistencies

• Some white hats are employees (e.g., in-house security teams).

• Some red teams are external contractors (e.g., hired for a specific engagement).

• Purple Teams (a blend of red + blue teams) further blur the lines, as they involve collaboration between attackers and defenders.

Ethical hacking vs red teaming cybersecurity activities

Key Similarities:

• Both involve authorized attempts to identify vulnerabilities in systems, networks, or organizations.

• Both aim to improve security by exposing weaknesses before malicious actors exploit them.

• Both require technical skills in penetration testing, social engineering, and attack simulations.

Key Differences:

Aspect	Ethical Hacking	Red Teaming
Scope	Often focuses on specific systems or apps.	Broader, simulating real-world adversaries (including physical & social attacks).
Objective	Find and fix vulnerabilities.	Test detection & response capabilities (not just tech flaws).
Duration	Short-term, targeted engagements.	Longer, multi-phase operations (like espionage).
Stealth	May or may not avoid detection.	Often prioritizes stealth to mimic real attackers.
Team Structure	Usually individual testers or small groups.	Larger, multidisciplinary teams (cyber, physical, social).
Reporting	Detailed technical remediation guidance.	Focuses on strategic security gaps & organizational resilience.

When They Overlap:

• A red team can use ethical hacking techniques (e.g., exploiting a server vulnerability).

• Some ethical hackers perform red teaming if the engagement includes advanced adversary simulation.

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SOC (Security Operations Center)/Blue Teaming

SOC (Security Operations Center) analysts and engineers are essentially the operational arm of the "Blue Team." However, whether they are in-house employees or contracted depends on the organization's structure.

SOC as the Blue Team (Defenders)

• Primary Role:

  • Monitor, detect, analyze, and respond to security incidents.

  • Handle alerts from SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response), firewalls, etc.

  • Perform threat hunting (proactively searching for undetected threats).

  • Work closely with Incident Response (IR) teams when breaches occur.

In-House vs. Contracted/MSSP SOCs

Type	Description	Pros	Cons
In-House SOC	Employees directly hired by the company.	- Better knowledge of internal systems. - Faster coordination with IT/other teams.	- Expensive to maintain 24/7. - Requires hiring skilled analysts.
Contracted SOC (MSSP)	Managed by a third-party MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider).	- Cost-effective (no need for full-time staff). - Access to broader threat intelligence.	- Less familiarity with internal networks. - Possible delays in response.

Key Overlaps & Clarifications

1. Blue Team ≠ SOC (but SOC is a core part of Blue Team)

   • The Blue Team is a broader concept, including SOC, IR, vulnerability management, and security hardening teams.

   • The SOC is the 24/7 monitoring & initial response unit within the Blue Team.

2. Some Companies Have Hybrid Models

   • Example: A company might have an in-house SOC for critical systems but outsource lower-priority monitoring to an MSSP.

3. Contract SOC Analysts (Staff Augmentation)

   • Some firms hire temporary SOC analysts through staffing agencies (neither fully in-house nor full MSSP).