Certified Red Team Operator (CRTO-901)

Target Students

Security professionals, ethical hackers, penetration testers, and cybersecurity analysts who are responsible for simulating sophisticated cyberattacks to test and improve the security posture of an organization.

Duration : 40 hours (5 days)

Learning Objectives

Master advanced red teaming techniques and tactics to simulate cyberattacks.

-Learn to bypass security controls and exploit vulnerabilities.

-Understand the full lifecycle of red team operations from planning to reporting.

-Gain experience with real-world attack scenarios and advanced persistent threat (APT) simulations.

-Develop skills to improve an organization’s resilience against sophisticated cyber threats.

Exam Codes: CRTO-901

Exam Formats

100 multiple-choice questions

Exam Options

Online

In-Person

Passing Score: 70%

Exam Duration: 2 hours

COURSE OUTLINE

Foundations of Red Teaming

Module 1: Introduction to Red Teaming

Overview of Red Team Operation
Definition and Role of Red Teaming in Cybersecurity
Differences between Red Teaming, Penetration Testing, and Blue Teaming
Understanding Red Teaming Methodology: Planning, Execution, Reporting
Building a Red Team Environment
Setting up a Virtual Lab Environment: Tools, Resources, and Best Practices
Introduction to Virtual Machines, Networking, and Simulation Platforms
Overview of Red Teaming Tools: Metasploit, Cobalt Strike, and Custom Scripts

Module 2: Reconnaissance and Information Gathering

Active Reconnaissance Techniques
Network Scanning: Nmap, MasscanService Enumeration: Identifying Open Ports, Services, and Operating Systems
Vulnerability Scanning: Nessus, OpenVAS, and Manual Techniques
Passive Reconnaissance Techniques
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) Gathering: WHOIS, DNS Enumeration, Social Media Profiling
Gathering Metadata from Public Sources
Identifying High-Value Targets through Passive Surveillance

Initial Compromise and Exploitation

Module 3: Exploitation Techniques

Exploitation of Network Services
dentifying and Exploiting Vulnerabilities in Common Network Services: SMB, RDP, SSH
Crafting and Delivering Payloads using Metasploit and Custom Exploits
Exploitation Techniques for Privilege Escalation
Client-Side Exploitation
Social Engineering Tactics: Phishing, Spear Phishing, and Pretexting
Exploiting Client-Side Applications: Browsers, Email Clients, Document Readers
Case Study: Conducting a Phishing Campaign and Analyzing Results

Module 4: Post-Exploitation and Persistence

Maintaining Access
Techniques for Establishing Persistence: Backdoors, Rootkits, and Web Shells
Exploiting Windows and Linux Systems for Long-Term Access
Case Study: Implementing Persistence in a Target Environment
Data Exfiltration
Techniques for Data Exfiltration: Covert Channels, Steganography, and Encryption
Exfiltration via Network Channels: FTP, HTTP, DNS Tunneling
Case Study: Simulating Data Exfiltration in a Secure Environment

Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation

Module 5: Lateral Movement Techniques

Moving Within the Network
Techniques for Moving Laterally: Pass-the-Hash, Pass-the-Ticket, and SMB Relay
Exploiting Trust Relationships: Active Directory, Kerberos Attacks, and Golden Tickets
Case Study: Achieving Domain Admin Rights through Lateral Movement
Privilege Escalation
Escalating Privileges on Windows and Linux Systems
Identifying and Exploiting Misconfigurations: Sudo, SUID/SGID, and Scheduled Tasks
Techniques for Bypassing User Account Control (UAC) and Exploiting Service Misconfigurations

Module 6: Advanced Techniques

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Simulation
Understanding APT Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)
Simulating APT-Style Attacks: Multi-Stage Attacks and Long-Term Persistence
Case Study: Simulating an APT Attack on a Large Enterprise Network
Command and Control (C2)
Setting Up and Using C2 Infrastructure: Cobalt Strike, Empire, and Custom C2 Servers
Techniques for Evading Detection and Hiding C2 Traffic
Case Study: Implementing a C2 Framework in a Red Team Exercise

Evasion Techniques and Red Team Reporting

Module 7: Evasion Techniques

Antivirus and Endpoint Detection Bypass
Techniques for Bypassing AV and EDR Solutions: Obfuscation, Packing, and Polymorphism
Advanced Evasion Techniques: Living Off the Land (LotL) and Fileless Malware
Case Study: Evading Detection in a High-Security Environment
Network Traffic Evasion
Techniques for Evading Network Security Devices: Firewalls, IDS/IPS, and Web Proxies
Using Encrypted Channels and Steganography for Covert Communication
Case Study: Simulating Evasive Network Traffic in a Secure Environment

Module 8: Reporting and Post-Engagement Activities

Documenting Red Team Operations
Writing Effective Red Team Reports: Findings, Recommendations, and Executive Summaries
Case Study: Creating a Red Team Report for a Simulated Engagement
Presentation of Red Team Findings: Communicating with Stakeholders
Lessons Learned and Post-Engagement Activities
Conducting Post-Engagement Analysis: Lessons Learned, Root Cause Analysis, and Improvement Areas
Follow-Up Activities: Remediation, Verification, and Retesting
Case Study: Analyzing the Impact of a Red Team Exercise on Organizational Security Posture

Practical Application and Capstone Project

Module 9: Red Team Simulation

End-to-End Red Team Exercise
Participants Execute a Full Red Team Operation: Planning, Reconnaissance, Exploitation, Lateral Movement, and Reporting
Real-World Scenario Simulation: Targeting a Corporate Network with Simulated Security Controls
Peer Review and Instructor Feedback on Red Team Performance
Advanced Red Team Techniques
Exploring Cutting-Edge Red Team Techniques: Machine Learning for Attack Prediction, Automation of Red Team Operations
Case Study: Implementing Advanced Techniques in a Live Red Team Exercise

Module 10: Capstone Project and Exam Preparation

Capstone Project
Participants Work on a Comprehensive Capstone Project that Encapsulates All Skills Learned Throughout the Course
Focus on Real-World Application, Reporting, and Analysis
Peer Review and Presentation of Capstone Project
Exam Preparation and Review
Review of Key Concepts and Techniques Covered During the Course
Sample Exam Questions and Group Discussions
Final Q&A Session and Wrap-Up