Cyber security is often viewed through the lens of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection. But what about the human and physical elements of security? That’s where Red Teaming Physical Security Assessments come into play. As cyber threats evolve, organisations must think like adversaries to uncover vulnerabilities before real attackers do. This article explores a real-world Red Team engagement that highlights the intersection of social engineering, physical security, and technical exploitation.
A recent Red Team engagement provided an opportunity to conduct a physical security assessment as part of a black box penetration test. The goal? Gain access to the internal network and take control of the domain controller — a scenario that closely mirrors the objectives of real-world attackers.
A black box engagement means operating with no prior knowledge of the target’s infrastructure. This forces us to rely on Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), social engineering, and tactical exploitation to breach defences.
Before attempting a physical breach, digital reconnaissance is crucial. The team followed a structured approach:
While several vulnerabilities were identified, none provided immediate internal network access—leading to the next phase: social engineering.
With limited digital entry points, the team pivoted to a targeted phishing attack — a staple tactic in Red Team engagements. Unlike traditional phishing assessments, which measure susceptibility rates, the objective here was to obtain valid credentials without detection.
Key Phishing Strategies Used:
The first phishing attempt failed due to a server-side issue, preventing email delivery. After troubleshooting, a second attempt resulted in a successful credential capture, providing email access to an internal user.
With credentials in hand, the next step was to gain physical access to the organisation’s premises. Physical security often remains overlooked, despite being a direct entry point to internal networks.
Key Physical Red Team Tactics:
A combination of these methods allowed the Red Team to gain physical access to an employee’s workstation. From there, cached credentials and session hijacking led to internal network infiltration.
Once inside the internal network, privilege escalation techniques were applied:
Within hours, the team successfully escalated privileges and took control of the domain controller, simulating a worst-case scenario for the organisation.
1. Security is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link
2. Phishing Attacks are Highly Effective
3. Physical Security Matters in Cyber Security
4. Zero Trust and Least Privilege are Critical
Red Team engagements offer invaluable insights into real-world attack scenarios. By exposing vulnerabilities before adversaries do, organisations can proactively harden defences, refine incident response, and enhance overall resilience. If you’d like to dive deeper into how simulated attacks can strengthen your security posture? Download our free Penetration Testing eBook for practical guidance, methodologies, and tips from our experts.
At Cyberlogic, we advocate for a holistic security approach — combining technical, procedural, and human-centric defences to outpace evolving threats. The best defence? Thinking like an attacker.
Need to test your security posture? Cyberlogic’s expert Red Teamers help organisations uncover weaknesses before cybercriminals do. Contact us to schedule an assessment.
About the Author:
Chris Meistre, Principal Cyber Security Specialist at Cyberlogic has been working in IT since 1998, originally as a software developer before moving fully into cyber security in 2020. He specialises in offensive security and has delivered work across a range of industries including banking, insurance, fintech, crypto, healthcare, and retail. His skills cover red teaming, internal and external penetration testing, secure code reviews, and web/mobile app assessments. Chris holds several well-known industry certifications (OSCP, OSEP, OSWE, OSED, OSCE3, and more) and is known for his practical approach, hands-on experience, and love of learning. He’s also actively involved in the local hacking scene, co-hosting Hack The Box (HTB) meetups in South Africa and mentoring juniors breaking into the field.
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