What is Blue Teaming?
Keeping your business safe in the digital age means remaining one step ahead of the threats and attackers. One of the primary tactics in this regard is blue teaming.
Blue teaming is a must-have operation in your cybersecurity tactics. All vigilant businesses, whether small-scale or large-scale, do blue team operations to secure their defenses. However, many executives need to be made aware of this subject and want to delve deeper into its details.
This article will explore what is blue teaming and go through its purpose and benefits. You will also learn how to conduct blue team operations for your business.
A Blue Team
A blue team is a group of cybersecurity professionals who secure the IT security of the business internally, working as or with internal audit. The professionals can be an in-house team of IT experts or third-party contractors. The actions of the blue team vary depending on the particular company and the organizational objectives.
The work of the blue teams is complementary in nature to that of the red teams. To understand the working of blue teams, knowing What is red teaming can be useful.
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Why is it called Blue Team?
The term ‘blue team’ comes from military nomenclature like its counterpart ‘red team’. Military exercises do enemy simulations with the red team as the enemy team and the blue team as the friendly team. These terms traveled in cybersecurity testing as well. In fact, the blue team and red team terminology is also used in other sectors like airport security, police, and private security agencies.
Purpose of Blue Teaming
The purpose of the blue team is to create protection measures for an organization's IT ecosystem. These measures should hold up against any possible cyberattacks. A mockup cyberattacker team (the red team) tests the viability of these measures.
Businesses can create protection measures without a blue team and red team setup. However, they will only know if those measures offer actual protection in case of an attack. The attack will cost you your most valuable assets if you do not provide the best level of security,
Hackers work with evolving attacks that take a lot of effort in planning and execution. Real-world attacks will always breach your defenses unless you make a better effort than the people attacking you. The blue team assures that the security measures are operational and can resist real-world cyberattacks.
Can My IT Provider Handle My Security Requirements?
No, your IT provider cannot handle the cybersecurity requirements. You should never trust your IT provider with your IT security, even if they claim to be experts in the same.
Cybersecurity is a profession that requires a qualified team and certifications. IT providers are not equipped with the necessary technology and training for network security. The most that they can do is set you up with an antivirus and firewall solution. While these software solutions are helpful, they are a very small part of what blue teaming will do.
Different Types of Blue Teaming Tools
There are a range of different tools and tactics that blue teams use to secure the IT network of an organization. Some of these tactics are:
Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS)
The Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) is your organization’s cybersecurity watchman. These tools are configured to detect most cyberattacks, immediately deploy countermeasures, and report intrusions. The blue team deploys the IDPS system and the red team tests its loopholes later.
Honeypots
Honeypots are decoys set up by the blue team professionals. These decoys seem like very precious assets to attackers. When an attacker tries to access the honeypot, the blue team gets notified of the intrusion and can take immediate action. Since honeypots do not contain any threatening data for the organization, leaving them exposed is not a concern.
Active Endpoint Detection and Response (ActiveEDR)
Active Endpoint Detection and Response (ActiveEDR) installs a constant tracking system on a device. The tracking system monitors and protects the device even when the device is offline. Therefore, the device gets a good degree of security without relying on cloud security solutions.
Packet Analysis Tools
Packet analysis tools keep vigil over the data packets traveling across an organization’s network. Packet analysis tools are good for response strategies in case of an attack. They can identify how the attack originated and the scripts used for executing it.
Log Aggregation
The log aggregation system collects log data from the organization's entire network. The data is then sent to a central server where it can be processed and observed for discrepancies.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
The Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system keeps track of all the alerts and messages generated by a network's hardware and software components. SIEM is important for an organization to maintain its security standards and for meeting many compliances. SIEM systems are also armed to take immediate action in case of discrepancies. Common actions include halting application activity and reporting the matter to the admin.
Perimeter Security Tools
Perimeter security tools involve multiple applications, such as firewalls, IDPS, DMZ, VPN, and many others. These applications work in tandem to fence your business from cyberattacks. However, they need to be properly configured and are not just a ‘click and install’ thing.
Access Controls
Even the best cybersecurity measures are only useful with proper access controls. Access controls ensure that each employee has predetermined access to your network resources. Blue teams generally follow the principle of least access. Least access means providing each staff member with the least access to the network. The least access considers the resources they need to complete the assigned job.
Microsegmentation
Microsegmentation divides the entire network into smaller zones. The blue team then defines the behavior and access of each zone. This tactic helps alleviate risks and ensure that any damage is confined to a small area.
Digital ForensicsTrained professionals use digital forensics tools for a deeper examination of the system. These tools can reveal many important pieces of information, such as intellectual theft, deleted data, and more.
Advantages of Blue Teaming
Blue team is so beneficial that most business executives consider it a necessity instead of an option. Some of the benefits that it provides are:
- Handling IT Security: The first and foremost advantage of blue teaming is that organizations have someone to handle their IT security. This is the job that the blue team is hired to do.
- Fixing Loopholes: Once the red team identifies the security loopholes in a company, the blue team can fix them immediately.
- Cost Saving: Blue team ops save much more money than you invest in these operations. The cost of every data breach keeps on increasing for businesses. It is a more feasible option to invest a little time and resources in blue team ops than to spend resources and reputation in case of a data breach.
- Meeting Compliances: Blue team professionals like the Tekkis team are certified experts. They can help you meet the proper compliance standards important for your sector.
- Response Planning: Blue team tactics help organizations prepare response plans for any IT accidents. This leaves the organization prepared adequately for any mishap.
- Leak Investigation: Often, organizational data breaches occur due to internal leaks within the company. Blue team tools can help pinpoint where exactly the breach occurred.
- Automation: Most of the tools set by the blue team are automated and do not require intervention unless an accident occurs. This helps the organization possess advanced cybersecurity without spending on in-house resources and infrastructure.
Blue Team vs. Red Team Cybersecurity
Executives often ask the difference between red teaming and blue teaming. Red teams’ and blue teams’ work complement each other. The blue teams secure the organization’s defenses. The red teams act as cyber attackers and try to compromise the system to find the loopholes and shortcomings. These shortcomings are reported to the blue team so they can be fixed.
How to Do Blue Team Operations For Your Company?
Tekkis is the best solution if you want to use blue team ops to secure your organization’s defenses. Tekkis is one of the leading IT security providers in the US, specializing in the red team and blue team ops. Some of the certifications of Tekkis professionals are CEH Elite, CCT, CDT, and CPENT. The professionals at Tekkis use a custom range of advanced tools designed especially for your business. These systems are foolproof and help you cover even the strictest compliances.
Conclusion
Blue teams are a gift for companies looking to fight against their IT adversaries. With a little time, skilled blue teams like the Tekkis experts can prepare your cybersecurity setup for the long haul. To get an idea of how much blue team ops will cost your business, get in touch with Tekkis today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the answers to some common questions about blue teaming:
What is the difference between blue team and red team working?
There is a major difference between the blue team and red team working process. Blue teams work internally to build an organization’s IT defenses. On the other hand, red teams work externally to test these defenses and find vulnerabilities and loopholes.
Should I do blue team or red team testing?
When deciding between blue teaming or red teaming tactics, the proper way is to use both. The blue team builds the security framework. The red team tests it for weaknesses and shortcomings. Blue teams then improve on these weaknesses. Therefore, having both provides a safer IT ecosystem.
Do I have to hire blue team professionals?
You do not have to hire blue team professionals for your organization. You can outsource the blue teaming and red teaming ops to Tekkis. Tekkis provides reliable and certified services in these areas.