Is your red team delivering genuine security value or just expensive theater? In an era where cybersecurity investments are under constant scrutiny, organizations can no longer afford to treat red teaming as a simple compliance checkbox. This book, Red Team Evaluation Framework, provides a definitive guide for transforming your red team program from a technical expense into a strategic asset.
Moving beyond a mere list of exploits, this framework equips CISOs, security managers, and practitioners with the tools to assess and quantify the effectiveness of red team engagements. Through detailed maturity matrices, practical checklists, and real-world case studies, you will learn to evaluate every stage of an engagement, from initial scoping and governance to advanced technical execution and operational excellence.
Inside, you’ll find comprehensive coverage of:
• Governance and Scoping: Establishing clear rules of engagement, aligning with stakeholders, and defining success metrics beyond vulnerability counts.
• Technical Evaluation: Assessing modern tradecraft across reconnaissance, credential harvesting, lateral movement, and evasion in Windows, Linux, cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP), and containerized environments.
• Specialized Assessments: Evaluating capabilities against advanced vectors like supply chain attacks, CI/ CD pipelines, and ICS/ SCADA systems.
• Demonstrating Value: Translating technical findings into business impact, calculating ROI, and using red team insights to drive strategic security improvements.
Whether you are building an internal team, hiring an external provider, or looking to maximize the value of your current program, this book provides the blueprint for ensuring your red team is a true measure of your security posture against the adversaries you actually face.
Table of Contents:
Part I: Foundations and Governance. Chapter 1: Introduction & Scope. 1.1 Purpose & Goals Evaluation Matrix. 1.2 Engagement Type Selection Matrix. 1.3 Scope Definition Framework. 1.4 Stakeholder Alignment Assessment. 1.5 Critical Evaluation Questions. 1.6 Red Flags in Engagement Planning. Chapter 2: Governance & Rules of Engagement. 2.1 Legal Authorization Framework. 2.2 Compliance and Regulatory Mastery. 2.3 Ethical Boundaries Assessment. 2.4 Permitted Techniques Evaluation Framework. 2.5 Engagement Management Excellence. 2.6 Red Flags in Governance and RoE. 2.7 Governance Evaluation Checklist. 2.8 Excellence Indicators in Governance. Part II: Technical Evaluation Framework. Chapter 3: Initial Access & Reconnaissance. 3.1 Goals & Methodologies. 3.2 OSINT & External Recon. 3.3 Social Engineering & Multi-Vector Attack Assessment. 3.4 Network & Web Reconnaissance Techniques. 3.5 Cloud-Focused Reconnaissance. 3.6 DevOps & Supply Chain Targeting. 3.7 WAF Evasion Assessment. 3.8 EDR & Security Tool Evasion Evaluation. 3.9 Practical Assessment Guide: Reconnaissance Phase. Chapter 4: Credential Access & Harvesting. 4.1 Goals & Techniques. 4.2 Windows Credential Dumping. 4.3 Kerberos and Active Directory Attacks. 4.4 Cloud Credential Harvesting. 4.5 Session Hijacking & Modern Token Theft. 4.6 Password Attacks & Credential Reuse. 4.7 Ethical & Operational Considerations. 4.8 Red Flags in Credential Harvesting. 4.9 Case Study: Credential Harvesting Excellence. Chapter 5: Privilege Escalation & Lateral Movement. 5.1 Assessment Criteria & Methodologies. 5.2 Windows Privilege Escalation Assessment. 5.3 Linux Privilege Escalation Assessment. 5.4 Lateral Movement Strategies. 5.5 Advanced Movement Techniques. 5.6 Detection and Prevention Testing. 5.7 Case Study: The Manufacturing Meltdown. Chapter 6: Security Control Evasion. 6.1 Evaluation Criteria & Methodologies. 6.2 AMSI Bypass Assessment. 6.3 Process Injection Techniques Evaluation. 6.4 ETW Bypass Assessment. 6.5 Advanced Credential Protection Bypass. 6.6 Network Security Evasion. 6.7 Comprehensive Verification Questions. 6.8 Case Study: The EDR Gauntlet. Chapter 7: Persistence & Post-Exploitation. 7.1 Assessment Framework & Methodologies. 7.2 Windows Persistence Techniques Evaluation. 7.3 Linux/macOS Persistence Assessment. 7.4 Cloud Persistence Mechanism Evaluation. Part III: Specialized Assessments. Chapter 8: Cloud Security Assessments. 8.1 Cloud Assessment Framework. 8.2 AWS-Specific Techniques Evaluation. 8.3 Azure-Specific Techniques Assessment. 8.4 GCP-Specific Techniques Evaluation. 8.6 Detection & Mitigation Evaluation. 8.7 Case Study: Cloud Security Assessment. Chapter 9: Container & Kubernetes Security Assessment. 9.1 Container Assessment Methodology. 9.2 Docker Security Evaluation. 9.3 Kubernetes Security Assessment. 9.4 Tool Evaluation for Container Security. 9.5 Real-World Scenario Assessment. 9.6 Detection & Mitigation Evaluation. 9.7 Case Study: Container Security Assessment. Chapter 10: Advanced Active Directory & Windows Attacks. 10.1 AD Assessment Framework. 10.2 AD Exploitation Tactics Evaluation. 10.3 Advanced Lateral Movement Assessment. 10.4 Detection & Mitigation Evaluation. 10.5 Comprehensive Verification Checklist. 10.6 Case Study: AD Security Assessment. Chapter 11: Specialized Attack Vectors. 11.1 Supply Chain Assessment Framework. 11.2 ICS/SCADA Security Evaluation. 11.3 DevOps & CI/CD Pipeline Assessment. 11.4 Insider Threat Simulation Evaluation. 11.5 Specialized Detection & Mitigation. 11.6 Case Study: Supply Chain Assessment. Chapter 12: Advanced Techniques & Custom Development. 12.1 Custom Tool Development Assessment. 12.2 Living off the Land (LOLBins) Techniques. 12.3 EDR Hooking & Evasion Evaluation. 12.4 Traffic Obfuscation Assessment. 12.5 Detection & Mitigation Evaluation. 12.6 Case Study: Advanced Technique Assessment. Part IV: Operational Excellence. Chapter 13: The Operational Excellence Matrix. Chapter 14: The Value Demonstration Framework. Chapter 15: The Final Assessment Checklist. Appendix A: Red Team Rules of Engagement Template.
About the Author :
Matthias Muhlert exemplifies Information Security leadership with over 25 years of transformative contributions. His career is marked by a commitment to empowering teams, optimizing processes, and leveraging cutting-edge technology to ensure operational excellence and strategic alignment with business goals. Currently, as the "Cyber Chef for Pies, Pints, Pastries, Parties, and Pizza" at Dr. August Oetker KG and serving as ECSO CISO Ambassador for Germany as well as DACH Chapter lead, Matthias is dedicated to fortifying digital landscapes against evolving threats.
His journey includes leading global security initiatives, fostering resilient and agile security frameworks, and building robust relationships across organizational levels. Matthias's expertise is validated by certifications such as ISO 27001 ISMS Manager, CISM, CISSP, and Certified Ethical Hacker. His roles have ranged from automotive CISO to spearheading IT security in banking, showcasing his ability to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity in diverse settings.
At Oetker-Group, Matthias is responsible for developing and setting security standards across all companies, orchestrating a group-wide security community, and devising comprehensive strategies for information and OT security. His tenure at HARIBO GmbH & Co. KG involved heading the information security management system, establishing a dynamic ISMS, and pioneering an AI decision model in collaboration with other companies. As CISO at Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, he led local and global teams, introduced an information risk management methodology, and contributed significantly to international security standards.
Matthias's earlier roles include leadership positions at HELLA Corporate Center GmbH (CISO), UniCredit Bank AG (VP Information Security), and Kabel Deutschland GmbH (Main Information Security Manager), where he developed and implemented robust IT and data management strategies, led significant security development projects, and facilitated compliance with international standards. His career also spans roles as a Senior IT Security Consultant and CERT Manager (European Space Agency) whilst working for Verizon Business EMEA and as the Head of Penetration Testing Department.
Matthias is also the author of Navigating the Cyber Maze: Insights and Humor on the Digital Frontier, further showcasing his ability to articulate complex topics and sharing his expertise with a broader audience.
