Online breaches are costing businesses big.
With the worldwide cost of cyber attacks expected to reach $10.5 trillion in 2025, cybersecurity testing has become the new priority for forward-thinking security leaders.
To go beyond surface-level scanning, penetration testing is ideal for organizations looking to identify and fix specific security gaps within a controlled scope.
Meanwhile, red team testing offers the ultimate challenge for testing your company’s defenses against real-world threats.
We’ll help you decide which approach is the right fit for your company, so you can build a stronger, more unbreachable security strategy.
1. Goal of The Security Test
First, it’s important to know that the goals of penetration testing and red teaming differ significantly.
- Penetration Testing: Centers on identifying as many security gaps as possible, understanding their risk levels, and providing actionable remediation.
- Red Team Testing: Focuses on finding a single entry point, exploiting it, and moving laterally through your systems to access sensitive data undetected.
Both approaches strengthen your security, but their focus and methods are distinct.
2. Attack Vectors
When discussing Red Team vs. Pentest differences, it’s important to understand the types, tactics, and methodologies each engagement uses.
Since there are six different types of penetration tests, a company will only choose one or two areas of focus per engagement to ensure in-depth results.
For example, a business may choose to run a social engineering pentest and an external pentest simultaneously. The area of focus is specific, and the pentesters have a narrow scope, allowing them to focus on particular attack vectors.
Red Team engagements are most similar to a real threat actor in that no attack vector is off the table. Red Teams usually have complete freedom over the methods and pathways they use to breach your systems. They use whatever means they can to get in: from physically breaking into your office and stealing confidential data to convincing an employee to connect a charging cable. The only exceptions are the attack vectors you may choose to deny in your agreement.
With this in mind, Red Teams spend significant time in the recon phase of penetration testing and discussing the rules of engagement with your organization, which are the parameters you set for the Red Team operation.
3. Resource Requirements
Because Red Teaming gives simulated attackers more freedom and a broader scope, these security tests require more resources.
Red Team operations typically involve multiple pentesters divided into separate teams, each focusing on different aspects of your cybersecurity defenses. For example, one team might target internal network vulnerabilities, while another focuses on exploiting application weaknesses.
By working independently and simultaneously, each team delivers a focused and comprehensive assessment of your security posture.
4. Anticipated Timelines
Timelines for security testing vary significantly based on the rules of engagement and tend to include: scope, complexity, and objectives. The rules of engagement, defined before testing begins, help determine how long the process will take.
Penetration Testing (3–6 weeks)
A pentest follows a structured and well-defined methodology, targeting specific areas such as networks, applications, or employee susceptibility to phishing. The process is usually complete within a few weeks.
Larger organizations with complex infrastructures or multiple test areas may require additional time.
Red Team Testing (3 weeks to several months)
Red Team operations are far more extensive, simulating real-world attack scenarios with a broader range of techniques.
These engagements often require extensive reconnaissance, planning, and execution phases to remain undetected for as long as possible, just like a real adversary would.
The extended timeline allows Red Teamers to test multiple attack vectors, escalate privileges, and determine how well an organization's defenses respond over time.
Since Red Teaming is designed to evaluate how an organization detects and responds to a persistent threat, longer engagements provide deeper insights into security gaps and incident response effectiveness.
5. Detection
The goal of a penetration test is to either uncover as many vulnerabilities as possible within a short timeframe, or reach a predetermined flag, such as accessing a certain data set. This means they’re sometimes more noticeable to employees.
For example, during a social engineering pentest, an employee might spot a suspicious phishing email and report it.
Red Team operations, on the other hand, focus on stealth.
Their goal is to infiltrate a system undetected, moving through the network over time to gather sensitive data without raising alarms. Unlike pentesters, Red Teamers operate in the shadows, mimicking real-world attackers who prioritize staying hidden.
6. Security Testing History
If your company has only completed vulnerability assessments in the past, running a few focused penetration tests is the next logical step. These smaller tests help you find and fix weaknesses, so you can start building a stronger security strategy.
But once you’ve reinforced your defenses, it’s time to level up.
Red Team testing is for businesses that are confident in the systems they’ve built and want to put them to the ultimate test, seeing how they hold up against real-world attacks.
It’s not for beginners, but if you’re ready, it’s a game-changer.
7. Cost
Smart security leaders understand that investing in either test option will cost you upfront, but here’s the reality, it will save you way more in the long run by tightening up your defenses and avoiding costly breaches down the road.
Here’s what to expect concerning budgets:
Red Teaming is more comprehensive, it involves more people, resources, and a broader scope, so it’s typically more expensive than a standard pentest.
While prices vary depending on the vendor and scope, you should budget at least $30,000 for a penetration test and $40,000 or more for Red Team testing.
Choosing Between Penetration Tests and Red Team Operations
With the global penetration testing market projected to exceed $5 billion by 2031, now is the time to invest in the right pentesting solution.
Here’s what our cybersecurity experts recommend:
- If your organization has only run one or two pentests, start with a different type of penetration test before jumping into Red Teaming.
- If you’ve been conducting regular penetration tests and want to take your security to the next level, Red Team operations might be the right move.
If you’re still feeling unsure about where to start or which test is right for you, take our quick Security Assessment Quiz to find the perfect fit.
