In 2026, Red Teaming services have become a highly sought-after cybersecurity solution. According to Crosstech, approximately 80% of internal security teams fail to effectively counter simulated attacks during these exercises.
Failure is defined by zero or near-zero detectability of attackers within the infrastructure, leading to critical security events. Other indicators of poor performance include delayed incident response, lack of team coordination, and defensive measures that disrupt essential services.
Defensive teams struggle to identify stealthy attacks that utilize legitimate tools. Challenges are compounded by the difficulty of correlating events from multiple sources, data analysis errors, and high volumes of false positives that mask real threats.
Social engineering remains a primary vector for Red Teams to compromise credentials early. This allows attackers to gain time for lateral movement within the network. However, the report notes that 50% of teams show improved performance during repeat exercises.
Improvements are attributed to enhanced staff training, the hiring of new specialists, and better technical processes. This includes optimized event collection, expanded monitoring coverage, and more effective attack detection strategies.
