What are the best practices and standards for purple team security testing?

1 Define the scope and objectives

Before launching a purple team exercise, it is essential to define the scope and objectives of the test, and communicate them clearly to all the stakeholders. The scope should include the assets, systems, and networks that will be tested, as well as the rules of engagement, the timeline, and the expected outcomes. The objectives should align with the business goals, the risk appetite, and the security maturity of the organization, and should be measurable and achievable. By defining the scope and objectives, you can ensure that the purple team exercise is relevant, realistic, and respectful of the operational environment.

4 Follow the security testing lifecycle

Purple team security testing is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that follows the security testing lifecycle. The security testing lifecycle consists of five phases: planning, analysis, design, execution, and evaluation. In each phase, you should follow the best practices and standards for security testing, such as the OWASP Testing Guide, the NIST SP 800-115, or the ISO/IEC 27034. By following the security testing lifecycle, you can ensure that the purple team exercise is systematic, comprehensive, and consistent, and that it delivers valuable and actionable results.

5 Document and report the results

The final step of purple team security testing is to document and report the results of the exercise. The documentation should include the details of the scope, objectives, tools, methods, findings, issues, recommendations, and lessons learned from the purple team exercise. The documentation should be accurate, complete, and concise, and should follow a standard format, such as the PTES Technical Guidelines or the MITRE ATT&CK Framework. The report should summarize the main points of the documentation, and present them in a clear, concise, and compelling way to the intended audience. The report should also highlight the achievements, challenges, and opportunities for improvement of the purple team exercise.

6 Implement and monitor the improvements

The ultimate goal of purple team security testing is to improve the security posture of the organization. Therefore, it is crucial to implement and monitor the improvements that are suggested by the purple team exercise. The improvements should be prioritized based on the risk level, the impact, and the feasibility of the recommendations. The improvements should also be aligned with the business goals, the security strategy, and the security policies of the organization. To monitor the improvements, you should establish metrics, indicators, and benchmarks to measure the progress, performance, and effectiveness of the security improvements. You should also conduct periodic reviews and audits to verify and validate the security improvements.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?