Adversary Simulation
APT-style attack simulation using MITRE ATT&CK framework to test real detection capabilities.
Adversary Simulation
Adversary simulation is the highest-fidelity form of security testing available — a full-scope, intelligence-led engagement that replicates the tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real-world advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. Unlike a traditional penetration test that enumerates vulnerabilities, adversary simulation measures whether your people, processes, and technology can detect and respond to a sustained, targeted attack campaign. Intelliroot maps every action to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, giving your security operations team a precise picture of detection coverage across the attack lifecycle.
Each engagement begins with threat intelligence profiling — identifying the adversary groups most likely to target your industry and geography. We then build custom TTPs that mirror those actors, including nation-state groups such as Lazarus Group, APT41, and Sandworm. The result is a purple team-ready dataset that your SOC, SIEM, and EDR teams can use to harden detections, tune alert logic, and measure real-world resilience. Intelliroot's adversary simulation engagements are fully compatible with the TIBER-EU framework and CERT-In mandated red team assessment requirements.
Purple Team Integration: Every adversary simulation concludes with a structured purple team workshop. Intelliroot's red team operators walk through each TTP alongside your blue team in real time — replaying attacker actions while analysts tune detection rules, validate SIEM alerts, and close visibility gaps identified during the engagement.
Why Adversary Simulation Outperforms Traditional Pentesting
Tests Real Detection Capability
Standard penetration tests find vulnerabilities; adversary simulation answers the harder question — can your SOC actually detect and contain an APT-grade attacker before damage is done?
MITRE ATT&CK Coverage Mapping
Every TTP executed is logged against MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques, producing a heat-map of detection gaps that prioritises your security investment with precision.
Intelligence-Led & Threat-Relevant
We emulate the adversaries that actually target your sector — banking trojans targeting BFSI, supply-chain actors targeting manufacturing, espionage groups targeting government — not generic attack chains.
Satisfies Regulatory Red Team Requirements
TIBER-EU, RBI's red team assessment guidelines, MAS TLPT, and CERT-In mandated red team engagements all require intelligence-led adversary simulation — not generic penetration testing.
What We Emulate
Initial Access & Reconnaissance
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT) profiling of target organisation
- Spear phishing with custom lures and lookalike infrastructure
- Supply chain and trusted-partner access vectors
- Exploitation of internet-facing services and VPN appliances
- Living-off-the-land (LotL) initial foothold techniques
Execution & Persistence
- Custom C2 implant deployment using obfuscated, signed payloads
- Registry, scheduled task, and WMI-based persistence
- DLL sideloading and hijacking for stealthy execution
- Fileless malware techniques to evade EDR behavioural detection
- BYOVD (Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver) kernel persistence
Lateral Movement & Privilege Escalation
- Credential harvesting via LSASS, DPAPI, and browser stores
- Pass-the-Hash, Pass-the-Ticket, and Overpass-the-Hash
- Active Directory escalation via Kerberoasting and ACL abuse
- Lateral movement via SMB, WMI, RDP, and SSH pivoting
- Token impersonation and privilege escalation techniques
Impact & Objective Completion
- Simulated data exfiltration via encrypted channels (DNS, HTTPS)
- Crown jewel access and domain dominance demonstration
- Ransomware deployment simulation (non-destructive)
- Business email compromise simulation and financial fraud paths
- Persistence mechanisms survining reimaging and credential rotation
Engagement Lifecycle
Threat Intelligence Profiling
Intelliroot's threat intelligence team profiles the adversary groups most likely to target your organisation based on industry vertical, geography, and asset profile. We identify relevant TTPs, past campaigns, and known indicators of compromise (IoCs) to build a realistic threat scenario.
Scenario Design & Rules of Engagement
Define simulation objectives (e.g., reach domain controller, exfiltrate specific data, compromise executive mailbox), agree on scope boundaries, notification protocols, and the get-out-of-jail card process. A detailed engagement plan is signed before any testing begins.
Custom TTP Development
Build bespoke attack tooling, C2 infrastructure, phishing lures, and payloads that replicate the target adversary's tradecraft while bypassing your current security stack. Infrastructure is deployed on dedicated, attribution-resistant servers outside production networks.
Covert Attack Execution
Execute the full attack chain — from initial access through to objective completion — while maintaining operational security and minimising detection footprint. Every action is timestamped and logged in the ATT&CK framework for post-engagement analysis.
Purple Team Workshop & Detection Tuning
Replay each TTP with your blue team in a structured purple team session. Walk through attacker actions in real time, validate detection coverage, tune SIEM rules, and identify visibility gaps in your EDR, NDR, and log pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deliverables
ATT&CK Coverage Heat Map
Visual mapping of all techniques executed against the MITRE ATT&CK matrix, annotated with detection outcomes (detected, alerted, missed) to quantify your SOC coverage across the full attack lifecycle.
Executive Threat Exposure Report
Board-level narrative covering the simulated threat actor, the attack path taken to achieve objectives, the business risk of a real attack, and strategic investment recommendations.
Technical Attack Narrative
Step-by-step technical chronicle of every attacker action, tool used, and MITRE ATT&CK technique executed — with timestamps, screenshots, and detection outcome for each stage.
Detection Gap Register
Prioritised list of visibility and detection gaps identified during the engagement, with recommended SIEM detection rules, EDR policy changes, and log source additions to close each gap.
Purple Team Workshop Report
Documented outcomes of the purple team session including detection rules written, alert logic tuned, and residual gaps requiring further investment or architectural change.
CERT-In Compliant Red Team Certificate
Signed assessment certificate from a CERT-In empanelled organisation, accepted for regulatory red team audit submissions and board-level compliance reporting.
Request a Security Assessment
Tell us about your environment and security objectives. We'll design a bespoke assessment and deliver a detailed proposal within 48 hours.