Specialized teams are created to protect organizations from online threats. Among these, the Red Team, Blue Team, and Purple Team are the most common. Cybersecurity is not a one-size-fits-all profession. Within organizations, specialized teams are created to protect against digital threats, and each offers unique career paths depending on whether you’re more interested in offense, defense, or collaboration.
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| Job Roles in Cybersecurity |
Red Team: Offensive Security
If you enjoy thinking like an attacker, Red Team roles may be a great fit. Career paths here often start as penetration testers or ethical hackers, eventually progressing to Red Team operators who perform advanced adversary simulations. With experience, professionals can move into roles like Red Team Lead, Offensive Security Engineer, or even Chief Offensive Security Officer. These roles require creativity, persistence, and mastery of exploitation techniques.
The Red Team acts like adversaries, simulating real-world attacks to uncover vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems, networks, and processes. They use advanced tools and technologies to mimic the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of malicious hackers.
Popular tools used in this teams are:
- Metasploit – A framework for penetration testing and exploit development.
- Kali Linux – A Linux distribution packed with tools for ethical hacking.
- Cobalt Strike – A tool to simulate real-world cyberattacks, mimic advanced threats and test an organization’s defenses
- Burp Suite – A platform for security testing of web applications.
- Wireshark – A network protocol analyzer to monitor and capture traffic.
- GoPhish – A phishing simulation platform for testing human vulnerabilities.
Blue Team: Defensive Security
For those who prefer defense, Blue Team careers focus on detecting and stopping threats in real time. Entry-level roles often include SOC Analyst or Incident Responder, where you monitor systems and investigate alerts. As you grow, you might become a Threat Hunter, Cyber Defense Engineer, or Security Operations Manager. At senior levels, paths can lead toward CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) positions, overseeing an organization’s entire defense strategy.
The Blue Team focuses on protecting and defending the organization against cyber threats. They use defensive tools to monitor, detect, and mitigate suspicious activity.
Popular tools used in this teams are:
- Splunk – A SIEM tool for log analysis and threat detection.
- IBM QRadar – A SIEM platform for detecting and investigating threats.
- Palo Alto Networks – Advanced firewalls and network security tools.
- CrowdStrike Falcon – Endpoint protection against malware and breaches.
- Snort – An intrusion detection and prevention system.
- Microsoft SCCM – A platform for patch management and system updates.
Purple Team: Collaborative Security
The Purple Team is ideal for professionals who want to bridge offense and defense. Early careers often begin in either Red or Blue roles, later moving into Purple Team Analyst or Security Engineer positions. These specialists ensure that offensive insights directly strengthen defensive measures. Over time, Purple Team members can advance to Cybersecurity Architect or Strategic Security Advisor, driving collaboration between all security functions.
The Purple Team combines the efforts of both Red and Blue Teams, fostering collaboration to improve the organization’s overall security posture. They use tools that support both offensive and defensive strategies
Popular tools used in this teams are:
- MITRE ATT&CK Framework – A knowledge base for adversary tactics and techniques.
- Cymulate – A platform for simulating and validating cyber threats.
- AttackIQ – A breach and attack simulation platform.
- MISP – A threat intelligence platform for sharing and analyzing threat data.