Overview
In this next episode, I was joined by Shawn Abelson, physical red teamer, business owner, and graduate faculty member with the University of Minnesota’s Security Technology Program. Shawn’s led and developed Red Team programs and he has a ton of great insights for those interested in the red team philosophy and how to develop red teaming skills. His experience spans diverse roles in the public and private sectors. Shawn has earned his Master of Science in Security Technologies from the University of Minnesota and now instructs in that same program.
Today’s conversation focused on what red teaming is, what a typical client engagement looks like, how an aspiring professional could get into physical red teaming, and much more.
Highlights from This Episode
- Creativity in Red Teaming: The importance of creativity in designing tests that do not create unnecessary risk.
- Blue Team Collaboration: Red teaming should serve the blue team, helping improve security rather than just pointing out flaws.
- Empathy for Security Staff: Understanding the conditions and constraints of security staff, encouraging an empathetic approach to red team assessments.
- Diverse Training: Suggesting prospective red teamers seek diverse training sources to gain a well-rounded perspective.
- Building a Public Profile: The value of contributing to the community and building a public profile as a way to advance in the field.
- Utility to the Organization: Red teaming should be seen as a service to the organization, emphasizing its utility in enhancing security.
- Use of Technology: The role of technical skills like using Proxmark for cloning badges or understanding RFID systems.
- Career Paths in Red Teaming: Discussing multiple paths into red teaming, including consulting or specializing in a niche aspect of security.
- Continuous Learning and Sharing: The importance of continuous learning and sharing knowledge within the community to foster growth and collaboration.
Memorable Quotes:
- On Red Teaming’s Purpose: “Our goal is to make the lives of the blue team easier.”
- On Community Contribution: “If you’re amazing at one of those skills… get really good at it and publish, publish videos, publish how-to guides, make a course.”
- On Empathy and Red Teaming: “Coming from a place of empathy instead of a gotcha.”
- On the Role of Red Teaming: “We are a service for the blue team.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Get started:
- Locks and Leaks Substack
- Github: Reconnaishawnce/Red-Team
- University At Albany: The Center For Advanced Red Teaming
- Podcasts
- Darknet Diaries: EP 134: DEVIANT
- Books:
- Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy by Micah Zenko
- The Red Team Handbook – The Army’s Guide to Making Better Decisions
- People:
- Babak Javadi: Director of Research and Development at The CORE Group
- Companies, Training, More:
- Red Team Alliance
- Pine Risk Management
Use CONTROL + F to search the transcript below if you want to learn more!
Related Episodes
- 7 Skill Domains for Security Advisors
- Physical Security Consulting Lessons
- Crypto Risk & Industry Practices
- Physical Red Teaming Intro
