In the world of cybersecurity, defenders (blue teams) work tirelessly to secure digital environments. But there’s another group — the red team — whose job is to think like the enemy. They don’t wait for hackers to strike; instead, they simulate real-world attacks to uncover weaknesses before the bad guys do. This blog takes you behind the scenes and deep into a day in the life of a red teamer — what they do, how they think, and why their role is critical to modern security.
Who is a Red Teamer?
Before diving into the daily grind, let’s clarify who a red teamer is.
A Red Teamer is a professional ethical hacker who mimics the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real-world threat actors. Their goal is to test the organization’s security posture, not just on a technical level but across people, processes, and technologies.
Red teaming isn’t just penetration testing — it’s broader and more covert. It includes social engineering, physical breaches, and advanced persistence tactics. Their job is to simulate real-world attack campaigns without alerting the organization’s security team.
Morning: Planning, Scoping, and Reconnaissance
7:30 AM – Wake Up, Caffeine, and Mental Prep
Most red teamers don’t start their day in a suit — or even an office. Many work remotely, in dark-themed IDEs, with noise-canceling headphones and an endless stream of coffee. Mornings often begin with checking alerts, catching up on security feeds like Twitter, HackerOne reports, and Reddit’s r/netsec.
Pro Tip: Staying updated with threat intel helps red teamers mimic realistic attacker behaviors.
8:30 AM – Review Scope and Rules of Engagement (RoE)
Red teaming operations are guided by strict boundaries. Before launching any operation, red teamers consult their RoE, which defines:
- What systems are in scope
- What tools/methods are off-limits
- Contact points in case something breaks
- Whether the blue team is aware (i.e., red vs. purple exercise)
Even though red teamers are attackers, they are also professionals. They follow legal and ethical guidelines to ensure their actions don’t cause unintended damage.
9:00 AM – Passive Reconnaissance Begins
The first part of the operation is about information gathering — without touching the target.
Red teamers fire up tools like:
- theHarvester (emails, domains)
- SpiderFoot (automated OSINT)
- Recon-ng
- Shodan and Censys (for open ports and services)
- Google dorks and GitHub leaks
They scrape social media platforms like LinkedIn to identify employees, technologies, or even disgruntled staff. This helps them build attack vectors and potential social engineering scenarios.
“A successful red teamer is a great stalker — in the most ethical way possible.”
Late Morning: Scanning, Enumeration, and Initial Access
10:30 AM – Active Recon & Vulnerability Mapping
Now comes the active recon phase — pinging the actual infrastructure. Tools like:
- Nmap (network discovery)
- Amass (subdomain enumeration)
- Burp Suite (web application testing)
- Nikto, Dirb, and Gobuster (directory brute-forcing)
They look for low-hanging fruit like:
- Exposed admin panels
- Login pages with weak auth
- Known CVEs on outdated software
- Public Git repositories leaking API keys
11:30 AM – Initial Foothold
Once a red teamer finds a weak spot — like a vulnerable web app — they attempt initial access.
This might involve:
- Exploiting a CVE (e.g., Log4j, ProxyShell)
- Using phishing to trick an employee
- Exploiting misconfigurations in cloud buckets (like open AWS S3)
- Compromising a user account through credential stuffing
Here, tools like Metasploit, Empire, or custom scripts are used to get a shell or backdoor into the system.
Lunch Break: Kind Of…
1:00 PM – Break? Maybe Not…
Red teamers often skip or delay lunch during a critical operation. But if time permits, they’ll take a break — though their mind rarely stops racing.
Even over lunch, they might discuss:
- New bypass techniques
- C2 (Command & Control) architecture design
- Zero-day rumors
- Red team stories from DEF CON or Black Hat
Afternoon: Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation
2:00 PM – Expanding Access
With a foothold established, red teamers shift to lateral movement — navigating from one compromised machine to another.
They might:
- Dump and crack password hashes (using Mimikatz, hashcat, etc.)
- Exploit misconfigured SMB shares
- Abusing Active Directory (using BloodHound, SharpHound, Rubeus)
Each move is stealthy. The aim is to remain undetected, mimicking advanced persistent threats (APTs).
“Think of it like sneaking through a mansion. You’re avoiding guards (EDR), collecting keys (credentials), and heading for the vault (domain admin).”
3:30 PM – Privilege Escalation
Now, the red teamer aims to escalate privileges. They might:
- Exploit unpatched local privilege escalation vulnerabilities
- Hijack tokens or insecure services
- Abuse Kerberoasting or Pass-the-Hash techniques
Eventually, the goal is clear: Get domain admin or full access.
Evening: Exfiltration, Cleanup, and Reporting
5:00 PM – Data Exfil and Goal Completion
Once domain dominance is achieved, the red teamer starts data exfiltration — not for real, but to prove they could have done it.
They simulate:
- Stealing sensitive files
- Dumping databases
- Extracting emails
- Manipulating production environments (but stopping short of real damage)
6:00 PM – Cleanup
Red teamers clean up their tracks to avoid leaving real security holes. That includes:
- Removing shells/backdoors
- Deleting logs or payloads
- Resetting user changes
7:00 PM – Documentation Begins
Red teamers are hackers, but they are also storytellers.
They write detailed reports that include:
- Attack paths
- Screenshots
- Indicators of compromise (IOCs)
- Step-by-step breakdowns of how they got in and what could have happened
They also suggest remediation measures — like patching, MFA implementation, or better staff training.
Bonus: Purple Team Collaboration
Sometimes, red teamers work with blue teams in a “purple team” engagement — a collaborative exercise where both sides learn.
Red teamers share techniques; blue teamers test detections and improve responses in real-time.
Soft Skills of a Red Teamer
Red teaming isn’t just about hacking tools. The job requires:
- Creativity – finding unexpected ways in
- Patience – some engagements last weeks
- Adaptability – switching tactics when blocked
- Communication – explaining technical things to non-technical stakeholders
- Ethics – knowing where to stop
Why Red Teaming Matters
Red team operations reveal what defenders miss. They simulate what a real hacker might do — but without the catastrophic consequences.
In today’s world of APTs, ransomware gangs, and supply chain attacks, red teaming is no longer optional for mature security teams.
Tools Commonly Used by Red Teamers
Here’s a quick snapshot of a red teamer’s digital toolbox:
| Purpose | Tools |
|---|---|
| Reconnaissance | theHarvester, Maltego, Shodan, SpiderFoot |
| Enumeration | Nmap, Amass, Gobuster, Dirsearch |
| Exploitation | Metasploit, SQLmap, custom exploits |
| Post-exploitation | Mimikatz, PowerView, Rubeus |
| Lateral movement | SharpHound, CrackMapExec, BloodHound |
| C2 Frameworks | Cobalt Strike, Sliver, Mythic |
| Reporting | Markdown editors, Draw.io, custom PDF templates |
Real-Life Red Team Scenario (Simplified)
Let’s visualize a red team success path:
- Discover a misconfigured GitHub repo exposing
.envfiles. - Extract hardcoded credentials.
- Use credentials to log into a test admin panel.
- Find SSRF vulnerability to gain internal access.
- Lateral move via misconfigured RDP.
- Dump domain credentials.
- Escalate to domain admin.
- Simulate ransomware deployment (as proof of impact).
- Report all steps and help fix the gaps.
Final Thoughts: Not Just Hackers in Hoodies
A red teamer isn’t your Hollywood-style hacker. They are strategists, thinkers, and problem-solvers. Their job is to break in — but with permission — and show the organization how to build stronger defenses.
From early morning reconnaissance to late-night report writing, their day is filled with puzzles, challenges, and adrenaline. But at the core, it’s about making the digital world safer, one exploit at a time.
