I've seen it time and again throughout my career: companies spend millions on security tools but still fall victim to basic attacks. As someone who's spent over a decade in the security trenches, I can tell you that fancy dashboards don't matter if your basics aren't solid.
The truth? If you want to know your real security position, you need red team exercises that show what actually matters. I'm not talking about basic tests that scan for known bugs - I'm talking about exercises that mirror how real attackers work in 2025.
Here are five red team exercises that will show your true security gaps - the ones that lead to breaches. For each, I'll add template links later to help you plan these tests.
1. Social Engineering Campaigns: People Are Still Your Biggest Vulnerability
Let's be honest - real attackers don't try to hack your firewall when they can just trick your employees into giving up the keys.
In the real world, attackers use social engineering techniques to get initial access. They target specific employees with tailored phishing emails, calls, and even in-person tactics that get past technical controls.
A good social engineering exercise doesn't just test if people click links. It copies multi-stage campaigns that match actual threat actor behavior. This includes research on key employees, creating real-looking scenarios, and using triggers that work even on security-aware staff.
What you'll learn: This test shows if your security training leads to better decisions in real situations. You'll see which departments are most at risk, what tactics work against your organization, and how well your controls catch good phishing attempts.
2. Privileged Credential Attacks: The Path From Entry to Domain Admin
Almost every major breach follows this pattern: attackers get initial access, then move until they get privileged credentials that give them the keys to your kingdom.
