To be effective in dealing with cyber attacks and to be one step ahead of attackers, it’s essential to look beyond the usual defensive strategies and to be able to think like an attacker.
However, it’s been emphasized that red teaming or AI red teaming cannot be achieved without proper training and expertise.
To become proficient in red teaming or AI red teaming, it’s essential to choose the right kind of red teaming or AI red teaming course according to your requirements and skill level.
Whether you’re new to cyber security or seeking to enhance your skills, it’s imperative that you find the right training that suits your needs. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of red teaming training and the 28 best certifications and courses for cyber security experts of all levels.
Red teaming is an approach that seeks to identify vulnerabilities in an organization. It tests the organization's defense strategy. Red teaming is an approach that offers an organization the best chance of improving its security. However, it’s an extremely technical process that requires the expertise of individuals with different skills.
Red teaming certifications are the best for cyber security experts who wish to prove themselves to potential employers. These certifications are quite rigorous. However, passing the certification exams proves that you’re good at what you do. Moreover, it keeps you updated on the latest attack vectors and techniques that the adversary employs.
Red teaming courses are often included with the certification. However, this isn’t always the case. These courses provide you with the knowledge that enables you to create a plan, execute the plan, and then write a report on the findings. Red teaming certifications and courses are essential for many reasons. These include:
There are many red team training certifications and courses available out there, but not all of them may be the right fit for your needs and skill level. To find the right red teaming certifications and courses, consider the following tips:
We’ve curated a list of 28 top-notch red teaming certifications and courses to help you save time and find the perfect one for you. Here are some top-rated courses on red teaming in multi-cloud environments, hybrid cloud environments, for beginners, advanced red teaming, and hands-on training.
Microsoft AI Red Team is a great resource for professionals and companies that want to learn how to better secure their AI systems and infrastructure. The training offers a wealth of knowledge on AI security, AI risks, shared responsibility in AI security, and developer threat modeling for machine learning systems.
Microsoft AI Red Team offers a range of resources on understanding AI risks, a shared responsibility model for AI security, developer threat modeling for machine learning systems, and more. The training also offers knowledge on how to solve AI security problems, such as methodologies for aligning language model safety and references to enterprise security and enterprise governance for Azure Machine Learning.
In addition to its online training, Microsoft AI Red Team offers training, briefings, and panel discussions at conferences and Black Hat events.
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As red teaming develops beyond conventional systems, it’s become essential for offensive security professionals to be aware of AI attack surfaces. The Practical DevSecOps Certified AI Security Professional (CAISP) course provides red teamers with the latest skills to detect and exploit AI systems' weaknesses. By using the browser-based labs, learners can carry out real-world attacks on LLM models and get ready for AI red team skills that enterprises demand.
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Exploring Adversarial Machine Learning is an online, self-paced training program offered by NVIDIA. The training program includes various modules such as evasion, extraction, inversion, membership interference, poisoning, etc., for large language models.
In this training program, the participants will be introduced to NVIDIA’s assessment framework, which will provide them with methodologies and tools for thorough security assessments of their ML models.
Additionally, NVIDIA’s AI Red Team offers hands-on training sessions, workshops, and challenges on machine learning security at various conferences such as Black Hat, DEF CON, etc.
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Multi-cloud environments are the future, but cloud environments are notoriously difficult to secure, which is where CWL comes in with their training program, helping you become MCRTA Certified.
They provide training on cloud security for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, etc.
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Red teaming in a multi-cloud environment is a difficult task. However, red teaming in a hybrid environment is even harder. Take the CHMRTS course from CWL to learn how to bypass security measures in a multi-cloud environment and exfiltrate critical data using a hybrid environment.
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Do you want to learn the basics of cyber security? Cyber security is a crucial aspect of keeping your organization safe from attacks. However, you can’t keep your organization safe unless you learn the basics of not just launching attacks but also how to defend against attacks. This course from the RedTeam Hacker Academy provides a comprehensive overview of all red teaming topics.
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Altered Security’s red team lab course is a great course for red teamers. Professionals can learn how to understand and bypass security measures for Microsoft machines using this course. You can learn how to think like an adversary using this course and get access to a simulated lab environment.
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SEC565 is a course that teaches you how to organize a red team, how to conduct threat intelligence, and how to analyze the results. The course has six in-depth sections that cover topics such as threat intelligence, TTPs, and pilfering data, among others.
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Learn more about red team operations.
Knowing what you want is the first step to getting a legitimate and reputable red team training program. Now, let’s find a course that meets your requirements and needs.
Whether you’re seeking a certification to enhance your career or a course on the latest innovations in red teaming, this list is a great place to start. Please note that we have listed the following red teaming certifications and courses in alphabetical order, and no specific ranking or ratings are given.
Advanced Azure Attacks is a great course for a red team that operates in a cloud environment. Take this course to learn and practice enterprise-level attacks in a live Azure environment with difficult security controls.
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The BSCP certification is a more generic cyber security certification for beginners. However, clearing this certification will prove you have knowledge of various vulnerabilities, exploits, and mitigation strategies.
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Infosec’s CCPT certification is one of the most recognized and sought-after certifications for offensive cyber security testing. Though this certification mostly deals with penetration testing, the inclusion of cloud testing makes it even more suitable for red teams.
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Red team exercises require the expertise of ethical hackers. Thus, companies want to hire professionals who have this certification to prove their skills and experience. The training includes 221 EC-Council labs to provide you with ample practice before the final examination.
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The GCIH certification will prove you have the skills to detect and fix security incidents. Though this certification will mostly benefit blue teams, you will also learn how to deal with various exploits and mitigation strategies.
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You can take a CPT exam to test your mettle as a red team pro with the Global Association for Quality Management. Learn how to assess target networks, identify security vulnerabilities, and deal with legalities of penetration testing with this course.
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GIAC offers a Python Coder certification that proves that you understand common Python libraries. This is a great tool, and it’s used by many people. However, it’s a critical tool for red teams because they make extensive use of this programming language. This certification proves that you are proficient in the language and understand how to mimic an attacker’s code.
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Infosec offers a red team training boot camp, which is a great place to start if you want to learn the basics of red team exercises. After completing this course, you can sit for a final exam and become a certified CRTOP. This will enable you to start red teaming.
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CRTP is a certification offered by Altered Security for red teaming. Students must complete a complex hands-on assignment to become certified. With over 14 hours of content, you can learn everything there is to know about common attack vectors and how to deal with multiple domains.
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Google offers a course on red teaming via Mandiant Academy. This course is offered to enterprises that need to mimic adversarial attacks. With this course, you can also learn how to bypass network segmentation and multi-factor authentication.
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While penetration testing is different from red teaming, it’s still a useful skillset to have in red teaming. The CompTIA PenTest+ exam and certification not only cover common attack vectors but also artificial intelligence (AI), hands-on inventory, lateral movement, and other essential information.
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Take your cyber security knowledge to the next level with HackMe’s advanced red teaming course. Over the course of six modules and 36 hands-on labs, you’ll be able to master how to replicate all sorts of attacks carried out by cyber attackers.
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Every red team needs a leader to develop a plan of attack and monitor the testing process. The MCSI course will teach you how to develop your own malware for enterprise networks, giving you a technical foundation to succeed in red teaming.
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OffSec offers a PEN-300 course that specializes in advanced penetration testing techniques. The course offers students hands-on knowledge in bypassing security measures and how to develop your own exploits using real-world examples. After completing all course materials and taking the final exam, you’ll be certified with the OSEP badge.
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OffSec offers the EXP-401 course, which reveals the ins and outs of advanced Windows exploitation techniques. This is where you can learn how to bypass mitigation techniques, among other advanced workarounds, in a live, interactive environment. You can take this course on its own or as part of the OSEE certification program.
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Red team testers can benefit greatly from this advanced level certification offered by OffSec. To become certified, you must pass three advanced level courses on various aspects of cyber security, including advanced web attacks, Windows user mode exploits, among other advanced level courses.
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While the PEN-200 course focuses on penetration testing with Kali Linux, it’s essential to note that this certification can be used as a stepping stone for red teaming certifications, as it offers the basics for other, more advanced courses.
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The EC-Council offers a CyberQ Skillpack, which is dedicated solely to red teaming, allowing you to test your skills in various areas of red teaming.
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The Red Team Operator training, offered by Sektor7, is a must for every red team professional who wants to have in-depth knowledge of malware development. The training has 32 lessons, covering everything an ethical hacker should know to develop offensive attacks on Windows systems.
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The GRTP certification ensures you have the skills to conduct red team exercises. This certification exam requires you to have knowledge of how to conduct a red team exercise and pass it.
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As generative AI technology becomes more and more part of the way we do business, the risks to its security and integrity also increase in complexity. There are various risks to AI, and cyber attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities in AI systems. Red team training and certification have a crucial part to play in helping security professionals have the skills to mitigate these risks and threats to AI systems.
Though red team training and certification help professionals have the skills to mitigate threats and risks, combining this knowledge with a tool like Mindgard's Offensive Security solution will help you maximize the potential of red team training and certification in conducting red team exercises for generative AI technology. Book a demo today to learn how Mindgard can help you maximize your potential in red team training and certification for your AI technology.
The difference is that, while both are concerned with identifying vulnerabilities, the focus of the red teaming certifications is on practical adversarial attacks such as social engineering. Penetration testing is more narrow in scope, focusing on identifying vulnerabilities through structured testing.
It depends. The duration of completion of the courses varies as most of the courses are self-paced, requiring completion in a few weeks, whereas some courses may require hands-on training that may last as long as a week. It’s always important to consider the duration of completion of the courses before selecting the courses for the red teaming certification.
Yes, hands-on labs are an essential part of most red teaming courses.
