Description

The Purple Team Assessment by ISGroup differs from the traditional Red Team Assessment as it does not limit itself to simulating attacks in a "black-box" context.

Instead, it leverages active interaction with the defensive team to refine detection and response capabilities to ongoing attacks. This approach allows for testing specific security aspects and improving defenses iteratively.

The steps of the Purple Team Assessment are similar to those of a Red Team Assessment, but the goal is different: to create a continuous improvement cycle based on immediate feedback between the teams involved, to strengthen the corporate security infrastructure.

The expected outcome of a Purple Team assessment is a detailed and exhaustive report of the flaws present in the infrastructure, as well as a step-by-step evaluation of the measures taken to prevent, detect, and mitigate attacks.

Specifications

The Purple Team Assessment by ISGroup is structured in the following phases:

• Data Collection Phase

  The first phase involves an in-depth study of the corporate infrastructure to understand the current capabilities of detecting and blocking attacks.

• Risk Assessment

  Using industry-standard frameworks, such as MITRE ATT&CK and NIST, the risk analysis is customized to fit the client's specific needs, identifying and managing the most relevant risk factors.

• Execution

  During this phase, ISGroup's defensive team and the company's internal team work together to detect and block simulated attack attempts. If attacks are detected, ISGroup guides the team through the response process; otherwise, detection, alert, and logging systems are enhanced.

• Risk Evaluation

  At the end of the execution, risks are evaluated based on the outcomes of the simulated attacks, providing specific recommendations to further strengthen defenses or improve identified areas of weakness.

Output

The final report provided to the client is a comprehensive document reflecting the entire assessment process, divided into the following sections:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Purple Team Assessment?

A Purple Team Assessment is a cybersecurity evaluation process that involves both the offensive (Red Team) and defensive (Blue Team) activities of an organization. The main goal is to improve the organization's ability to detect, respond to, and mitigate cyber threats. This is achieved through continuous interaction between the teams, where simulated attacks by the Red Team are countered by the Blue Team, with constant improvement of defenses.

What is meant by Purple Team?

The term "Purple Team" refers to the integration and collaboration between an organization's Red Team (offensive team) and Blue Team (defensive team). The Purple Team is not a separate unit but rather an approach that fosters cooperation between these two teams to improve the organization's overall security posture.

What is the strategy of Purple Teaming?

The strategy of Purple Teaming involves combining the skills of the Red Team and the Blue Team to create a continuous feedback loop that allows for refining the organization's defenses. Through this strategy, the techniques and tactics used by attackers are immediately analyzed and used to strengthen security measures.

What is a Purple Team operation?

A Purple Team operation is a specific activity where the Red Team and the Blue Team work together to test and improve the security of an organization's infrastructure. During these operations, real threats are simulated to assess the effectiveness of defenses and identify areas for improvement.

What are the responsibilities of the Purple Team?

The responsibilities of the Purple Team include the continuous improvement of the organization's security, the identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities, and the optimization of attack detection and response processes. The Purple Team ensures that the knowledge gained during simulated attacks is integrated into existing security practices.

What are the phases of a Purple Team?

The phases of a Purple Team include gathering information about the infrastructure (Data Collection Phase), risk analysis using standard frameworks (Risk Assessment), executing simulated attacks and defending against them (Execution), and final risk evaluation to determine the effectiveness of defensive measures (Final Risk Evaluation). Each phase is designed to improve security through an iterative and collaborative process.

Who should conduct a Purple Team Assessment?

A Purple Team Assessment is recommended for any organization that wants to significantly improve its security posture, especially those that have already implemented dedicated security teams (Red Team and Blue Team) and seek to optimize their collaboration. It is particularly useful for companies that handle sensitive data or are frequently targeted by cyber attacks.

How much does a Purple Team Assessment cost?

The cost of a Purple Team Assessment can vary significantly based on the complexity of the organization's IT infrastructure, the duration of the assessment, and the specific services required. Generally, it can start from a few tens of thousands of euros and increase depending on the needs and size of the organization. To obtain an accurate estimate, you can request a personalized quote.

How often should a Purple Team Assessment be conducted?

The ideal frequency for conducting a Purple Team Assessment depends on the specific needs of the organization, the pace of changes to its IT infrastructure, and the level of risk associated with its activity. However, many experts recommend conducting a Purple Team Assessment at least once a year or whenever significant changes are made to the company's security infrastructure.