Red teaming – why cybersecurity’s coolest job is basically Top Gun for hackers

Red teaming is cybersecurity’s top defense – ethical hackers simulate attacks to find weaknesses before real hackers do, helping organizations stay secure.

Have you ever seen the classic 80s movie Top Gun? In it, fighter pilots simulate aerial dogfights by splitting into teams, maneuvering in the skies, and locking fire – without actually shooting at each other.

Now imagine that same kind of high-stakes training – but happening inside cyberspace. The cyber defense system is like an airbase on alert, with the best tech standing guard.

When an attack hits, alarms flash, logs spike, and defenders scramble – but then it all stops. The "enemy" was actually part of a test, revealing weaknesses before real hackers can strike.

This is red teaming – the ultimate hacking training exercise rooted in thinking like your enemy.

Finding cracks before criminals

Red teaming is when companies pay hackers to break into their own systems, on purpose. The goal? To find weaknesses before the real bad guys do.

There’s certainly a fantasy element here to proceedings. The opposition can count on legal infiltration, social engineering tactics and hiding in plain sight, to try and penetrate the system – think Oceans Eleven with laptops.

The global red team market is estimated to be priced at over $5 billion and is projected to double by 2030. Everyone from banks to governments use it.

In our latest Cybernews explainer video, we dug deeper into this world and discovered that it could well be cybersecurity's sharpest job.

Cyber war games explained

In the Vietnam war, the US faced some humbling moments during air combat. Even though America had better tech, they would often get wrecked in dogfights.

As a result, they created Red Flag – simulated air war with fake enemies called “aggressors.”

Red Flag was basically Top Gun, but real. Pilots fought masters who didn't play by the rules, and fighter jets were replaced by malware attacks.

In our explainer, we revisit a historical context, looking at the roots of this manoeuvring and then how it is actually leveraged among companies, government institutions and even the military itself.

Inside the hacker’s toolbox

Behind every system, network breakers are cracking real vulnerabilities with ruthless precision.

We’ll be taking a look at exactly how social engineers aren’t going after systems per se, but after peoples' trust, plucking passwords and clicks right out of thin air.

Some pentesters – or, professional hackers – take it old school, by breaking into buildings and plugging in rogue USBs like covert spies on a mission.

Knowing your enemy’s next move is key, and through red teaming, you’re always one step ahead in the ultimate game of cyber chess.

Cyber war games explained

As a result, they created Red Flag – simulated air war with fake enemies called “aggressors.”

Red Flag was basically Top Gun, but real. Pilots fought masters who didn't play by the rules, and fighter jets were replaced by malware attacks.

In our explainer, we revisit a historical context, looking at the roots of this manoeuvring and then how it is actually leveraged among companies, government institutions and even the military itself.

Inside the hacker’s toolbox

Behind every system, network breakers are cracking real vulnerabilities with ruthless precision.

We’ll be taking a look at exactly how social engineers aren’t going after systems per se, but after peoples' trust, plucking passwords and clicks right out of thin air.

Some pentesters – or, professional hackers – take it old school, by breaking into buildings and plugging in rogue USBs like covert spies on a mission.