Red Team vs. Blue Team vs. Purple Team: Choosing the Right Security Approach for Your Organisation

Many organisations are looking for ways to strengthen their cybersecurity, but choosing between a Red Team, Blue Team, or Purple Team can be confusing for leaders. Each team plays a unique role—Red Teams simulate attacks, Blue Teams defend, and Purple Teams help both sides work together. The best choice depends on an organisation’s current security maturity, goals, and how much teams need to collaborate.

Understanding how these teams operate can help decision-makers find the right approach for their business. Some might need realistic attack simulations, while others may benefit from improving teamwork between attackers and defenders. By knowing the main differences and benefits, leaders can select the team structure that fits their security needs.

Understanding Red Team, Blue Team, and Purple Team Approaches

Organisations protect their systems using specialised teams that focus on offensive and defensive strategies. Each team brings unique skills and goals, increasing the strength and awareness of overall cyber defences.

Definitions and Core Functions

Red, blue, and purple teams each hold a specific role in cyber security.

• Red Teams: These simulate real-world attacks. Their aim is to find and exploit weaknesses in an organisation’s systems by thinking and acting like a hacker. Red teams test security by using various offensive techniques, including phishing and penetration testing.

• Blue Teams: Blue teams are in charge of defending the network. They monitor systems, respond to incidents, and patch vulnerabilities. The blue team’s main focus is on detection, response, and continuous improvement of security measures.

• Purple Teams: A purple team acts as a bridge between red and blue. They combine offensive and defensive strategies. Purple teams encourage communication and collaboration, ensuring that findings from attacks are used to improve defence.

Historical Context and Evolution

Red and blue teams started as military exercises where one group attacked and the other defended.

In cyber security, this approach was adopted to improve incident response and readiness. Over time, organisations saw the benefit of more collaboration, leading to the creation of purple teams.

Originally, red and blue teams often worked separately with little interaction. Today, purple teams enable a more integrated approach, allowing defensive teams to learn directly from attackers. This has shaped current best practices in information security.

Key Differences and Similarities

The roles of red, blue, and purple teams differ in focus but all aim to strengthen cyber defences.

Red teams are proactive and aggressive, constantly looking for weaknesses. Blue teams are vigilant, often working behind the scenes to stop threats. Purple teams facilitate learning by encouraging real-time knowledge sharing between red and blue.

All three types of teams require skilled professionals and strong communication to be effective. They play a continuous role in reducing risks and increasing security awareness across the business.

Red Teaming: Offensive Security in Practice

Red teaming is a method where security professionals act as real attackers. They use different tactics to test an organisation’s defences through simulated attacks. The main goal is to find weaknesses before real threat actors can exploit them.

Tactics and Simulated Attacks

Red teams use many tactics to act like genuine attackers. They often gather information about the organisation, which is called reconnaissance. This can involve searching public records, checking social media, and scanning company websites for clues.

Once they have information, red teams may try phishing emails, social engineering, and exploiting unpatched systems to break through security. Their goal is to move through the network without being detected. Common tactics include:

• Sending convincing fake emails to trick staff
• Attempting to gain physical access to offices
• Testing weak passwords or exposed remote services

These methods allow red teams to see how well staff notice and respond to attacks.

Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking

Red teams are often made up of experienced penetration testers and ethical hackers. Their main task is to mimic real cybercriminals by finding ways into systems, networks, and applications. Unlike simple vulnerability scans, penetration tests go further to exploit weaknesses and measure the true impact.

A typical penetration test includes these steps:

1. Reconnaissance and planning
2. Gaining initial access
3. Escalating privileges within the system
4. Maintaining persistence
5. Extracting or altering sensitive data

Ethical hacking means everything is done in a controlled and legal way. Red teams report exactly how they broke in, so the organisation can fix the issues.

Identifying Vulnerabilities and Threats

Red teams help organisations find vulnerabilities that regular security measures might miss. They do not just look for technical flaws in software. They also check how well employees can detect social engineering or physical intrusions.

The team documents threats like:

• Outdated, unpatched software
• Weak login details
• Poor employee awareness
• Gaps in security monitoring

Once these weaknesses are found, the organisation receives a detailed report. This includes how threats were discovered, the potential risks, and suggested fixes. The aim is to strengthen defences and minimise the risk from actual attackers.

Blue Teaming: Defensive Strategies and Cyber Defence

Blue teams are defenders who use a range of defence mechanisms to protect organisations from cyber threats. Their efforts focus on preventing attacks, identifying risks, and improving cyber resilience.

Defensive Tactics and Response Measures

The blue team deploys layered defence strategies to stop intruders. They use firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to block and monitor traffic.

Multi-factor authentication and strict access controls are common measures. These tactics help reduce unauthorised access to sensitive information.

They also use network segmentation to limit the spread of a cyber incident if one occurs. Encryption of data, both in transit and at rest, is another standard practice.

Blue teams regularly review security policies to make sure defences remain strong against new types of threats. Simple training for staff on phishing and social engineering can make a big difference.

Common Defence Tools:

• Firewalls
• IDS/IPS
• Anti-malware software
• Email security filters

Threat Hunting and Vulnerability Assessments

Threat hunting is the process of actively searching for hidden threats or attackers within a network before they cause harm. Blue teams use threat intelligence feeds, behaviour analysis, and forensic tools for this purpose.

Vulnerability assessments involve scanning systems and software for known weaknesses. These scans help teams find outdated software or misconfigured settings.

When issues are found, blue teams create priority lists to address the highest risks first. Tables and dashboards often display this information so security analysts can act quickly.

By combining real-time threat hunting with regular vulnerability checks, blue teams improve an organisation’s cybersecurity readiness.

Security Operations Centre Roles and Tools

The Security Operations Centre (SOC) is the command centre for blue teams. Teams of security analysts monitor systems around the clock for signs of suspicious activity.

SOC teams use specialised tools such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms to collect and process data from the entire network. This helps them spot and investigate unusual behaviour.

Other tools include automated alerts, dashboards, and investigation utilities that allow quick reaction to possible threats. Collaboration software and ticketing systems help analysts keep track of incidents as they happen.

The SOC manages day-to-day defences, escalates issues, and supports overall cyber defence efforts within the business.

Incident Response and Cyber Resilience

When a cyber incident occurs, the blue team follows a clear incident response plan. First, they confirm the event, contain the threat, and then work to remove it from the environment.

After containment, security analysts investigate the incident to learn how it happened. They gather data, look for evidence, and document every step of the response.

The team then reviews the response to make improvements and prevent similar events. These lessons help build cyber resilience, so the organisation gets stronger after every attack.

Blue teams also test their incident response plans with regular drills and tabletop exercises. This ensures everyone knows their role and can act quickly under pressure.

Purple Teaming: Bridging Offensive and Defensive Security

Purple teaming links the offensive actions of red teams and the defensive skills of blue teams. This model strengthens a cybersecurity strategy by using collaboration, constant learning, and open information sharing.

Collaboration and Integration

Purple teams combine the skills of red and blue teams to target real weaknesses. Instead of working in isolation, they coordinate tests and responses so that defences are improved as attacks are simulated and analysed.

A purple team includes both attackers and defenders working together in real-time. They review tactics, techniques, and procedures after each exercise. This collaborative effort leads to a better understanding of how threats impact security and how to close gaps quickly.

Integration may involve shared tools, joint exercises, and automation. For example:

Continuous Improvement and Reporting

With purple teaming, feedback and learning happen after every test cycle. Each cycle leads to direct changes in defences and detection rules. Metrics—like time to detect and respond—are tracked and regularly reviewed.

Frequent reporting helps teams see where results improved and where more training is needed. Reports are shared with stakeholders and security leaders to keep everyone aligned.

Automation can be used to run repeated tests and update dashboards, speeding up the feedback loop. This makes it easier to check progress over months or even years and to see patterns in attack techniques and detection.

Communication and Knowledge Sharing

Effective purple teaming depends on open communication and fast knowledge sharing. Both red and blue teams need to discuss what worked, what failed, and why.

They use shared documents, chat platforms, and regular meetings to keep information flowing. Training sessions can focus on specific threats, response tactics, or new vulnerabilities.

Feedback is two-way—attackers explain what got through, while defenders explain how incidents were caught or missed. This direct sharing avoids secrets and silos, making security knowledge more accessible across the organisation.

Choosing the Right Team for Your Organisation's Needs

Selecting between red, blue, and purple teams depends on the organisation’s current cybersecurity posture, the specific risks it faces, and its long-term security goals. Each team is designed to address unique challenges and works best when matched to the right business needs.

Assessing Security Posture and Threat Landscape

An organisation must first review its current security posture. This means checking the strength of existing controls, policies, and security infrastructure such as firewalls, network segmentation, or endpoint protection.

A security consultant may help identify gaps by simulating real cyber-attacks or reviewing previous incidents. They also look at the organisation’s threat landscape. For example, a finance company may face advanced phishing attacks, while a retailer might worry more about ransomware or data breaches.

Regular assessments allow leaders to spot areas where attackers could break in. They also show if defences are strong enough or need improvement. Understanding these details helps in choosing which team—red, blue, or purple—is the best fit to strengthen security.

Risk Assessments and Management

Risk assessments are key in managing cybersecurity. They measure the likelihood and impact of threats on the organisation. These assessments often reveal vulnerabilities in systems, processes, or people.

Teams need to look at both technical risks (like outdated software) and human risks (such as lack of staff training). Clear risk management plans address how to prevent, detect, and respond to threats.

Red teams may be used when an organisation wants to test its defences with real-world attack scenarios. Blue teams focus more on active monitoring and incident response plans. Using both, especially with ongoing reviews, helps adapt to new risks as the threat landscape changes.

Matching Team Structures to Organisational Goals

Organisations with mature security infrastructure often benefit most from periodic red team testing, aimed at uncovering unknown weaknesses. Companies without strong defences, however, may need to build basic protections first with a blue team approach.

A purple team combines both attacker and defender insights. This fosters collaboration and shared learning. Organisations seeking ongoing improvement and coordination may prefer this model.

Choosing the right team structure should be based on clear business objectives. For example:

Proper alignment ensures that resources are used effectively, and the security programme is built to last.

Supporting Elements and Emerging Trends in Team-Based Security

Effective team-based security requires strong protective measures, up-to-date threat intelligence, and new approaches to dealing with evolving cyber threats. Companies are exploring innovative team models as cyber threats and security needs become more complex.

Security Measures and Defences

Modern organisations use a mix of technical controls and practical policies to strengthen defences against attacks. Firewalls, antivirus software, and network segmentation are standard tools that help stop intruders before they cause harm.

Clear access controls and employee training protect against insider threats and accidental breaches. Many teams run regular security audits and simulated cyberattacks to test for weak points in both systems and human behaviour.

Phishing protection, incident response plans, and strong password management reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks. Routine patching of software and hardware helps to close vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.

Threat Intelligence and Cyber Threats

Threat intelligence gives security teams insight into the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by real attackers. This information helps teams respond faster and adjust defences to match new types of cyber threats.

Analysing data from past security breaches, phishing attempts, and malware infections helps identify patterns of attack. Collaborative platforms and external intelligence feeds give access to current threat information and alerts.

By sharing intelligence, teams can better detect early signs of cyberattacks and adapt their security measures. This is vital for defending against rising threats such as ransomware, business email compromise, and supply chain breaches.

New Team Models: Yellow Team and Beyond

In addition to the traditional red, blue, and purple teams, yellow team models are starting to gain use. The yellow team often bridges gaps between development and security, focusing on secure coding and vulnerability management.

Some organisations add other colours, like green for compliance and orange for risk management. These models create specialised roles to cover every stage of the cyber defence process.

Blending teams helps organisations respond more quickly to complex security incidents. A table summarising team roles may look like this: