What Is Purple Teaming?

Imagine a fortress. One group of defenders stands on the walls, learning to block attacks. Another group of skilled attackers launches simulated assaults, teaching the defenders through realistic scenarios. Now imagine both groups sharing insights, learning from each other, and continuously improving together.

That's Purple Teaming—where Red Teams (offensive) and Blue Teams (defensive) collaborate toward a shared goal: making the organization more secure.

Purple Teaming is a fundamental shift in how organizations approach cybersecurity. Rather than Red and Blue Teams operating in silos with separate objectives, they work as integrated units with aligned purposes: identify weaknesses (Red) and fix them (Blue), with both learning from each iteration.

The name "Purple Team" comes from the combination of red (offense) and blue (defense)—together creating purple.

The Traditional Approach vs. Purple Team

Traditional Siloed Approach

Historically, Red and Blue Teams operated separately:

Red Team perspective:

• Conducts penetration tests
• Finds vulnerabilities
• Writes reports with findings
• Delivers report to leadership
• Moves to next engagement

Blue Team perspective:

• Receives Red Team report weeks later
• Reviews findings
• May not understand attack context
• Works to fix vulnerabilities
• Limited feedback on whether fixes work

Gap: Red Teams don't see if their findings get fixed. Blue Teams don't learn Red Team methodologies. Organizations get point-in-time vulnerability reports rather than continuous improvement.

Purple Team Collaborative Approach

Purple Teams work differently:

Shared objectives:

• Both Red and Blue Teams focus on improving organizational security
• Aligned incentives (not adversarial)
• Continuous engagement rather than discrete projects

Real-time collaboration:

• Red Teams conduct simulated attacks
• Blue Teams defend simultaneously
• Both teams observe and learn
• Immediate feedback and discussion

Continuous learning:

• Red Teams teach Blue Teams about attack techniques
• Blue Teams teach Red Teams about detection capabilities
• Both teams understand weaknesses and strengths in real-time

Iterative improvement:

• Vulnerabilities found are immediately addressed
• Fixes are tested by Red Team
• Processes and tools improve based on observations

The shift is from transactional (Red Team delivers report, disappears) to relational (continuous collaboration).

Purple Team Composition

Purple Teams include members from both disciplines:

From Red Team

Penetration Testers and Ethical Hackers bring:

• Deep understanding of attack techniques
• Knowledge of how real attackers operate
• Ability to exploit vulnerabilities
• Creativity in finding novel attack paths
• Technical skills in breaking into systems

Red Team members educate Blue Teams on attack methodologies and emerging threats.

From Blue Team

Incident Responders and Security Analysts bring:

• Understanding of detection capabilities
• Knowledge of logging and monitoring
• Incident response procedures and protocols
• Defensive tool expertise
• Understanding of operational constraints

Blue Team members educate Red Teams on what's detectable and what's not.

Leadership

Purple Team Lead — Manages collaboration, ensures both teams are heard, mediates disagreements, and ensures findings translate into improvements.

Shared communication channels — Regular meetings, shared documentation, collaborative tools.

The most effective Purple Teams have members who understand and respect both offensive and defensive perspectives.

Purple Team Objectives and Activities

Objective 1: Collaborative Security Testing

Rather than Red Teams testing alone, Purple Teams conduct joint exercises:

Test design — Red and Blue Teams together design realistic scenarios reflecting actual threats.

Real-time execution — Red Team attacks while Blue Team defends simultaneously, with both teams observing and learning.

Immediate feedback — When Blue Team detects an attack, both teams discuss why detection occurred (or didn't), what worked, what didn't.

Iterative refinement — Rather than ending after one pass, testing continues, with Blue Teams implementing improvements and Red Teams re-testing.

Realistic scenarios — Testing reflects actual threats (specific threat actors, techniques, timeframes) rather than generic vulnerabilities.

This approach reveals not just what's exploitable, but what's detectable and whether defenses actually work in practice.

Objective 2: Knowledge Sharing and Skill Development

Purple Teams are learning organizations:

Red Team teaching Blue Team:

• How attackers discover targets
• Techniques for bypassing defenses
• How to maintain persistence
• Methods for avoiding detection
• Tools and frameworks used in real attacks

Blue Team teaching Red Team:

• What detection tools see
• How alerts are generated and investigated
• What's logged and what isn't
• Operational constraints of the environment
• What's realistic vs. theoretical for defenders

Reciprocal skill building:

• Blue Team members learn offensive thinking
• Red Team members understand detection limitations
• Both teams develop appreciation for the other's perspective

This knowledge transfer makes both teams more effective. Red Teams design attacks that improve actual defenses. Blue Teams detect sophisticated attacks.

Objective 3: Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation

Purple Teams don't test once and declare victory. They adapt continuously:

Threat monitoring — Both teams track emerging threats and attack techniques.

Defense evolution — When new threats appear, Blue Teams develop controls and Red Teams immediately test them.

Tool evolution — When detection tools are upgraded, Red Teams understand new capabilities and adjust attack approaches.

Process improvement — When incident response procedures change, Red Teams test them and provide feedback.

Feedback loops — Information flows continuously between teams, driving iterative improvement.

This continuous approach ensures defenses remain effective as threats evolve.

Objective 4: Enhanced Incident Response

Purple Team collaboration creates more effective incident response:

Trained defenders — Blue Teams have practiced responding to sophisticated attacks, so real incidents are less surprising.

Understood tactics — Having worked with Red Teams, Blue Teams understand how real attacks unfold.

Faster response — Blue Teams have practiced detection and containment, making real responses faster.

Effective prioritization — Both teams understand which vulnerabilities and attacks matter most, focusing efforts on critical issues.

Coordination — Teams that regularly collaborate respond more efficiently when it matters.

The result: when real incidents occur, organizations respond faster and more effectively.

Purple Team Workflow

A typical Purple Team engagement follows a structured approach:

Phase 1: Planning

Red and Blue Teams collaborate on:

• Scope — What's being tested?
• Objectives — What do we want to learn?
• Timeline — When will testing occur?
• Scenarios — What threats are we simulating?
• Success criteria — How do we measure success?
• Communication — How will teams stay informed?

Phase 2: Pre-Test Coordination

Before testing begins:

• Red Team shares planned attacks — Blue Teams understand what to expect and prepare defenses
• Blue Teams brief on monitoring — Red Teams understand what's detectable and what's hidden
• Tool verification — Both teams ensure detection and logging is working
• Baseline establishment — Normal activity is documented so anomalies are clear

Phase 3: Live Testing

Red Team attacks while Blue Team defends:

• Red Team executes attacks — Following planned scenarios or improvising realistically
• Blue Team monitors and responds — Detecting and containing threats in real-time
• Both teams observe — Understanding what worked, what didn't, why

Phase 4: Real-Time Feedback

During and immediately after testing:

• Debrief sessions — Both teams discuss findings
• Detection analysis — Why was attack detected (or not)?
• Technique review — Was Red Team's approach realistic?
• Defense effectiveness — Did Blue Team's response work?

Phase 5: Improvement and Re-Testing

Based on findings:

• Blue Teams implement improvements — Fixing detected gaps
• Red Teams adapt techniques — Reflecting actual defenses encountered
• Re-testing — Verifying improvements work
• Iteration — Continuing until defenses are robust

Phase 6: Documentation and Reporting

Rather than traditional Red Team reports:

• Collaborative findings — Both teams contribute perspectives
• Context provided — Why vulnerabilities matter, how they're exploited, how they're detected
• Remediation guidance — Specific recommendations for fixing issues
• Success metrics — Documenting improvements made

Benefits of Purple Teaming

Organizations adopting Purple Team approaches see significant improvements:

Faster Detection and Response

Red and Blue Teams working together understand attack-defense dynamics. Blue Teams detect sophisticated attacks faster. Response is more effective.

Better Defense Design

Blue Teams, having worked with Red Teams, understand how attacks actually unfold. Defensive controls are designed with realistic attack scenarios in mind.

Higher-Quality Vulnerability Intelligence

Red Teams, understanding detection capabilities, identify vulnerabilities most likely to impact real operations. Testing is more relevant.

Stronger Security Culture

When Red and Blue Teams work together, the organization develops a collaborative security culture. Security is collaborative rather than adversarial.

Reduced Dwell Time

Organizations with effective Purple Teams detect real breaches faster. Attackers spend less time in networks before detection.

More Efficient Resource Allocation

When Red and Blue Teams prioritize together, resources focus on highest-impact improvements.

Better Incident Response

Teams that regularly practice together respond more effectively when real incidents occur.

Challenges in Purple Team Implementation

Purple Teaming requires overcoming Challenges:

Organizational Culture

Some organizations view Red and Blue Teams as competitors rather than collaborators. Shifting to collaborative mindset takes effort and leadership support.

Trust and Transparency

Red Teams must be transparent about attack methodologies. Blue Teams must be honest about detection gaps. This requires psychological safety and trust.

Time and Resource Investment

Purple Team collaboration requires more time and resources than siloed testing. Organizations must justify this investment in terms of security improvements.

Scope and Boundaries

Determining what's in scope for testing, what's permitted, and how to avoid actual disruption requires careful negotiation.

Technical Integration

Tools used by Red and Blue Teams must integrate so information flows smoothly and real-time collaboration is possible.

Skill Requirements

Purple Team members need broader skill sets—not just offensive or defensive expertise, but understanding both perspectives.

Building a Successful Purple Team

Organizations can establish effective Purple Teams by:

Leadership alignment — Executive leadership must support collaborative approach and provide necessary resources.

Clear objectives — Organizations must define what they want Purple Teams to accomplish and measure success.

Communication protocols — Establish regular meetings, shared documentation, and clear communication channels.

Psychological safety — Create environment where both teams can be honest about findings and gaps without fear of blame.

Shared metrics — Define success metrics that reflect both offensive and defensive perspectives.

Continuous engagement — Schedule regular testing and collaboration rather than one-time engagements.

Training and development — Invest in helping team members understand both offensive and defensive perspectives.

Tool integration — Select and integrate tools enabling real-time collaboration and information sharing.

Purple Teams are not formed overnight. They're built through sustained commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement.

Exercise 1 — Plan a Purple Team sprint (one technique)

Pick one technique to simulate (e.g., credential phishing, suspicious PowerShell, lateral movement via remote admin tools) and define:

• Objective (what you want to validate)
• Data sources (logs/telemetry)
• Success criteria (what “good” looks like)
• One improvement you’d implement after the test

Question 1 — Why does Purple Team collaboration accelerate security improvement?

Course Complete

You now have a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity—from foundational principles through diverse security domains, understanding threats and adversaries, and implementing both offensive testing and defensive operations.

This knowledge prepares you for advanced specializations and career development in the security field. You have the conceptual foundation to pursue specific courses in penetration testing, threat intelligence, incident response, or specialized domains.