Adversary Emulation: Mimicking a real-world cyber attack from Udemy

Red Team Adversary Emulation, focuses on approaching an organization's security from the view of a real-world adversary. In this course, we perform a live Adversary Emulation exercise and try to steal customer data of a FinTech startup. We are hired by a FinTech startup to conduct an adversary emulation exercise and steal their customer data (before an actual adversary). This exercise assumes zero knowledge about the target network.

During an adversary emulation exercise we mimic a real world cyber attack with a specific objective, such as stealing customer data, launching a ransomware attack etc. This course follows the Red Team Operations Attack Lifecycle to conduct this exercise. We go through each phase in a step-by-step manner and build our attack path as we move ahead. We employee a variety of techniques, such as

Active and passive information gathering
Gaining foothold into the network
Host Discovery
Brute-forcing
Phishing
Privilege Escalation (Linux and Windows)
Automated Active Directory domain enumeration
Persistence via command and control center
Active Directory attacks

to achieve our objective. Upon completion of the exercise, we will prepare and submit a report to the organization's management.

This course also covers installation and usage of tools such as, PoshC2, Mentalist, BloodHound, Mimikatz, Metasploit, PowerUp, icacls, PowerShell etc.

This is a beginner friendly course. If you have just started your career in offensive cybersecurity or are preparing for penetration testing exams then this course is for you. If you are already a penetration tester or a red teamer, with a few years of experience under your belt, then you would already know most of the above mentioned techniques. However, if you are interested in witnessing a live adversary emulation exercise, please feel free to follow along.

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to plan and manage adversary emulation exercise
Difference between red teaming and adversary emulation
Mitre att&ck framework
Red team operations attack lifecycle
How to conduct adversary emulation exercise on a live organization
Open source intelligence (osint) techniques to gather information
Weaponizing exploits to gain foothold into the network
Password brute-forcing using custom generated lists

Phishing an employee
Escalating privileges on linux and windows systems
Active directory enumeration using bloodhound
Active directory attacks
Establishing persistence via poshc2 (command and control center software)
Creating an engagement report
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How to plan and manage adversary emulation exercise
Difference between red teaming and adversary emulation
Mitre att&ck framework
Red team operations attack lifecycle
How to conduct adversary emulation exercise on a live organization
Open source intelligence (osint) techniques to gather information
Weaponizing exploits to gain foothold into the network
Password brute-forcing using custom generated lists
Phishing an employee
Escalating privileges on linux and windows systems
Active directory enumeration using bloodhound
Active directory attacks
Establishing persistence via poshc2 (command and control center software)
Creating an engagement report
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

Course Introduction

What is Adversary Emulation?

Red Teaming vs Adversary Emulation

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on experience with tools like PoshC2, BloodHound, and Mimikatz, which are frequently used in red teaming and penetration testing engagements

Walks through each phase of the Red Team Operations Attack Lifecycle in a step-by-step manner, making it easier to understand the overall process

Mimics a real-world cyber attack on a FinTech startup, giving learners practical experience in a relevant and realistic scenario

Covers techniques such as phishing, privilege escalation, and Active Directory attacks, which are essential skills for offensive security roles

Includes topics like password brute-forcing, Active Directory enumeration, and establishing persistence, which are commonly tested in certification exams

Requires learners to set up Kali Linux and other tools, which may require some familiarity with Linux and command-line interfaces

Reviews summary

Hands-on adversary emulation exercise

According to learners, this course offers a highly practical, hands-on approach to adversary emulation. Many found it to be a solid introduction for those new to red teaming or preparing for certs, appreciating the real-world scenario mimicry and the step-by-step walkthrough of an attack lifecycle. The use of relevant tools and detailed lab exercises are frequently highlighted as strengths, providing valuable practical experience. However, some students note that while labeled beginner-friendly, having some foundational knowledge in networking and Linux/Windows basics is beneficial, suggesting it might not be ideal for absolute novices. Overall, it's viewed as an effective and engaging course for building practical red team skills.

Good intro, but some prerequisites help.

"This course is an excellent starting point for someone looking to get into red teaming or penetration testing."

"It does assume some prior knowledge of fundamental IT concepts, so not for a complete beginner with zero tech background."

"While it says beginner-friendly, knowing basic Linux commands and networking concepts makes it much easier to follow along."

"It provides a good foundation, but be prepared to supplement with basic knowledge if you're starting from scratch."

Well-explained concepts and demos.

"The instructor explains complex topics very clearly and demonstrates the tools effectively."

"I found the explanations of concepts like C2 frameworks and Active Directory attacks easy to understand."

"The flow of the course content made sense, guiding you logically through the attack path."

"The videos are concise and well-paced, keeping you engaged."

Mimics actual cyber attack scenarios.

"The way the course simulates a real-world attack on a fictional company is brilliant and very engaging."

"It covers techniques that are highly relevant to modern red teaming and penetration testing engagements."

"Understanding the Red Team Operations Attack Lifecycle from this practical example was very insightful."

"I learned how to apply various techniques like phishing and privilege escalation within the context of an actual objective."

Provides valuable hands-on experience.

"The labs are incredibly practical and mirror real-world scenarios. Getting hands-on experience with the tools was invaluable."

"I really appreciated the step-by-step nature of the labs; it made complex topics much more digestible."

"Working through the actual adversary emulation exercise from start to finish helped solidify my understanding better than just theory."

"The hands-on demos using tools like BloodHound and PoshC2 were excellent and showed practical application."

Some users faced setup challenges.

"Setting up the lab environment via AWS was a bit tricky for me initially, which took some time away from the core content."

"The instructions for the lab setup were mostly clear, but I encountered a few minor issues that required troubleshooting."

"Accessing the lab environment sometimes felt cumbersome or had slight delays."

"While the labs are great, the initial setup phase could be smoother for those less familiar with cloud platforms."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Adversary Emulation: Mimicking a real-world cyber attack with these activities:

Review Networking Fundamentals

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Strengthen your understanding of networking concepts. A solid grasp of networking fundamentals is crucial for understanding how adversaries move within a network and exploit vulnerabilities.

Browse courses on TCP/IP

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Review the OSI model and TCP/IP stack.
Practice subnetting calculations.
Research common networking protocols.

Practice Linux Command Line

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Improve your proficiency with the Linux command line. Many adversary emulation tools and techniques rely on Linux, so familiarity with the command line is essential.

Browse courses on Bash Scripting

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Complete a Linux command line tutorial.
Practice using common commands like grep, awk, and sed.
Write a simple bash script.

Read 'Red Team Development and Operations'

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Gain a deeper understanding of red team operations and methodologies. This book provides a practical guide to building and operating a red team, which is directly relevant to the course's focus on adversary emulation.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read the book cover to cover.
Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
Research any unfamiliar tools or methodologies.

Four other activities

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Practice Privilege Escalation Techniques

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Reinforce your ability to escalate privileges on both Linux and Windows systems. Privilege escalation is a critical step in many adversary emulation exercises, so mastering these techniques is essential.

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Set up a vulnerable virtual machine.
Attempt to escalate privileges using various techniques.
Document your findings and the steps you took.

Document Attack Paths

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Solidify your understanding of attack paths by documenting them. Creating diagrams and narratives of potential attack paths helps you think like an adversary and identify vulnerabilities.

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Choose a target organization.
Research the organization's infrastructure and security posture.
Create a diagram of potential attack paths.
Write a narrative describing each attack path.

Read 'MITRE ATT&CK Framework'

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Deepen your knowledge of the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The course references this framework, so a thorough understanding of it will enhance your ability to plan and execute adversary emulation exercises.

View Melania on Amazon

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Explore the MITRE ATT&CK website.
Familiarize yourself with the different tactics and techniques.
Research specific techniques used in real-world attacks.

Build a Command and Control (C2) Server

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Gain hands-on experience with command and control infrastructure. Building your own C2 server will give you a deeper understanding of how adversaries maintain persistence and control over compromised systems.

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Choose a C2 framework (e.g., PoshC2, Metasploit).
Set up a server and install the framework.
Configure the server and test its functionality.
Document your setup and configuration.

Career center

Learners who complete Adversary Emulation: Mimicking a real-world cyber attack will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Penetration Tester

A Penetration Tester assesses the security of computer systems and networks by simulating attacks to identify vulnerabilities. This course, focusing on adversary emulation, directly aligns with the core responsibilities of a penetration tester, who must think like an attacker to find weaknesses. The course's coverage of techniques such as active and passive information gathering, gaining a foothold, privilege escalation (Linux and Windows), Active Directory attacks, and using tools such as Metasploit and Mimikatz, provides a practical foundation for this role. The course teaches the red team operations attack lifecycle, which is invaluable when performing penetration tests.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Red Team Member

As a Red Team Member, you will emulate real-world cyber attacks to evaluate and improve an organization's security posture. This course, centered on adversary emulation, directly reflects the daily tasks of a Red Team Member. The course provides practical experience in mimicking attack scenarios, which allows you to develop the skills needed to think like an attacker. The curriculum includes a variety of attack techniques, such as phishing, privilege escalation, and Active Directory attacks, as well as the use of tools like PoshC2 and BloodHound. This course's approach to planning and managing adversary emulation exercises is particularly relevant to red teaming.

See salaries and explore the career path for Red Team Member

Vulnerability Assessor

A Vulnerability Assessor identifies and analyzes weaknesses in computer systems, networks, and applications. This course, with its focus on mimicking real-world cyber attacks, directly correlates with this role. The course's emphasis on techniques such as gaining a foothold, privilege escalation, and Active Directory attacks provides a practical understanding of how vulnerabilities can be exploited. Furthermore, the hands-on experience with tools like Metasploit and BloodHound helps the vulnerability assessor identify and prioritize vulnerabilities for remediation. The course's systematic approach to adversary emulation also offers a framework for conducting thorough vulnerability assessments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vulnerability Assessor

Cybersecurity Analyst

A Cybersecurity Analyst monitors and protects computer systems and networks from cyber threats. This course provides valuable insights into the tactics, techniques, and procedures of real-world adversaries, which can significantly enhance your ability to detect and respond to security incidents. The course's coverage of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, combined with hands-on experience in mimicking attack scenarios, allows a cybersecurity analyst to better understand how attacks unfold and how to defend against them. Furthermore, learning about Active Directory attacks and persistence techniques helps in identifying and mitigating threats within an organization's infrastructure.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Analyst

Incident Responder

An Incident Responder investigates and responds to security incidents to minimize damage and restore normal operations. This course provides critical insights into attacker behavior and techniques, which helps incident responders to better understand and contain incidents. Gaining a better understanding of how to achieve persistence in a network, as taught by this course, may be useful. The course's coverage of the MITRE ATT&CK framework enables incident responders to identify the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by attackers, allowing them to develop effective response strategies. The knowledge of offensive techniques gained from this course helps better anticipate attacker actions and prevent future incidents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Security Engineer

A Security Engineer designs, implements, and manages security systems and infrastructure. This course provides a practical understanding of offensive security techniques, which is invaluable for building robust defenses. The course's exploration of topics such as privilege escalation, Active Directory attacks, and persistence mechanisms allows a security engineer to anticipate potential vulnerabilities and design systems that are resilient to attack. Moreover, the hands-on experience with tools like Metasploit and PoshC2 can inform the selection and configuration of security technologies. The section of the course on planning and managing adversary emulation exercises may be useful for creating security tests.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Information Security Consultant

An Information Security Consultant advises organizations on how to improve their security posture and mitigate risks. This course equips consultants with a deep understanding of adversary tactics and techniques, which enables them to provide informed recommendations. The information security consultant can use the knowledge gained from this course to assess an organization's security controls, identify vulnerabilities, and develop strategies to address them. The course's coverage of the MITRE ATT&CK framework and real-world attack simulations provides a valuable framework for communicating risks and recommending security improvements. The final part of the course, in which learners prepare an engagement report, can also inform their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Consultant

IT Auditor

An IT Auditor evaluates an organization's IT infrastructure and controls to ensure compliance and security. This course offers a unique perspective by demonstrating how an attacker would exploit vulnerabilities, providing a basis for more effective audits. The IT auditor can use the course's insights into attack techniques, such as privilege escalation and Active Directory attacks, to assess the effectiveness of existing security controls. The course helps the IT auditor identify potential weaknesses and recommend improvements to strengthen the organization's overall security posture. The report that is prepared at the end of the course will inform their role.

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Security Operations Center Analyst

A Security Operations Center Analyst monitors security systems, analyzes security events, and responds to incidents. This course provides valuable context for understanding the types of attacks that Security Operations Center analysts may encounter. The insights gained from the course may increase the efficacy of the Security Operations Center analyst. The course's coverage of attack techniques, such as phishing and privilege escalation, can help analysts identify and prioritize suspicious activity. The knowledge of tools like Mimikatz and BloodHound can also aid in the detection of malicious activity within the network.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Operations Center Analyst

Security Architect

A Security Architect designs and oversees the implementation of security systems and strategies for an organization. This course may provide valuable insights into the real-world tactics and techniques used by cyber adversaries. The Security Architect may find the course helpful for understanding real world threats. The course's hands-on approach to adversary emulation can aid in the development of robust security architectures that are resilient to attack. Someone in this role typically has an advanced degree.

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Digital Forensics Analyst

A Digital Forensics Analyst investigates cybercrimes and security incidents to collect and analyze digital evidence. This course provides a valuable understanding of attacker techniques and tools, which aids in identifying and interpreting digital evidence. The digital forensics analyst may find useful the knowledge of how attackers cover their tracks. The course's coverage of topics such as persistence and footprint deletion can help a Digital Forensics Analyst reconstruct the events of an attack and identify the perpetrators.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Forensics Analyst

Cloud Security Engineer

A Cloud Security Engineer implements and manages security controls in cloud environments. This course, with its hands-on approach to mimicking real-world cyber attacks, may allow cloud security engineers to better understand potential threats to cloud infrastructure. The Cloud Security Engineer may benefit from the content of this course that discusses privilege escalation in Linux and Windows systems. The course's insights into attacker techniques can help cloud security engineers design and implement effective security measures to protect cloud-based assets and data.

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Application Security Engineer

An Application Security Engineer focuses on securing software applications throughout the development lifecycle. This course may provide insight into common attack vectors and vulnerabilities that Application Security Engineers should be aware of. The Application Security Engineer may find the discussions of reconnaissance, initial compromise, and privilege escalation useful when evaluating the security of applications. The course's practical demonstrations of how attackers exploit vulnerabilities can inform the design and implementation of secure coding practices and security testing methodologies.

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Network Engineer

A Network Engineer designs, implements, and manages network infrastructure. This course may help network engineers develop a deeper understanding of network security threats and vulnerabilities. In particular, the network engineer may find the discussions of phishing and brute forcing useful. By understanding how attackers operate, network engineers can implement more effective security measures to protect the network from intrusion and data breaches.

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Chief Information Security Officer

A Chief Information Security Officer is responsible for overseeing an organization's information security strategy and ensuring that its assets are protected from cyber threats. This course may help the Chief Information Security Officer better understand the adversary mindset and the types of attacks that the organization may face. While the Chief Information Security Officer would likely not be employing the tactics learned, having a functional knowledge of network exploitation and attack vectors may be useful. The course's focus on adversary emulation and real-world attack scenarios provides a valuable perspective for making informed decisions about security investments and risk management strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Security Officer

Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Adversary Emulation: Mimicking a real-world cyber attack.

Adversary Emulation

Mimicking a real-world cyber attack

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Hands-on adversary emulation exercise

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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