Case Study: Multi-Stage Red Teaming for a UK National Organisation
Testing People, Processes, & Technology Against Real-World Cyber Threats
A UK national organisation, widely recognised as a household name, engaged us to conduct a multi-stage red team exercise to assess the resilience of its internal security controls, employee awareness, and technical defences.
As a high-profile target, the organisation recognised that cyber threats were evolving beyond traditional attacks, requiring a real-world simulation of how an advanced adversary could infiltrate and exploit its operations.
The objective was not simply to test technology but to assess the entire security ecosystem, from human vulnerabilities and procedural weaknesses to technical security gaps. The company required a true-to-life adversarial simulation designed to bypass existing defences, test incident response readiness, and uncover systemic weaknesses that could be exploited in a genuine attack.
We designed and executed a multi-stage red team operation, replicating the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by nation-state and cybercriminal groups. The engagement covered three critical attack vectors: human deception and social engineering, network penetration and lateral movement, and physical security testing.
First, we targeted employees through a custom social engineering campaign, using a mix of phishing, pretext calls, and impersonation tactics to gain initial access to the corporate environment. By leveraging publicly available information and crafting tailored attack scenarios, we successfully gained credentials and internal access, demonstrating how easily attackers could exploit human factors to bypass perimeter security.
Next, we executed a covert network intrusion, simulating an advanced persistent threat (APT) attack. Using stealthy reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and lateral movement techniques, we tested internal monitoring, endpoint detection, and security operations centre (SOC) response capabilities. The goal was to determine whether the organisation could detect and contain a sophisticated attack before it reached critical systems.
Finally, we tested physical security measures, attempting to gain unauthorised access to office locations and sensitive infrastructure. Using a blend of tailgating, badge cloning, and impersonation techniques, we assessed how well on-site security teams and access controls could prevent unauthorised entry.
The results provided a stark real-world assessment of the organisation's ability to withstand a coordinated, multi-faceted cyber attack. While technical controls were well implemented, our testing revealed critical gaps in employee awareness, procedural weaknesses in incident response, and opportunities for an adversary to escalate privileges undetected. The executive leadership team received a detailed threat intelligence briefing, mapping red team findings to actual business risk and regulatory obligations, ensuring that improvements aligned with governance and compliance expectations.
By conducting a realistic, intelligence-led red team exercise, we enabled the organisation to improve its overall cyber resilience, enhance SOC detection capabilities, and strengthen both technical and procedural defences. The insights gained have since been used to refine employee training, reinforce security policies, and enhance internal monitoring, ensuring the organisation is better prepared for future adversarial threats.
Real attackers don't follow the rules. Is your organisation ready? Let's talk.
