Cobalt Strike is a command and control framework designed for adversary simulations and red team operations. It allows security professionals to emulate the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of advanced persistent threats (APTs) within a network.
Key features include:
- Beacon Payload: A post-exploitation agent that enables covert communication and control over compromised systems.
- Malleable C2: Allows customization of network indicators to mimic various malware profiles, enhancing stealth.
- Collaboration: Facilitates team-based red teaming exercises with shared workspaces and real-time communication.
- Reporting: Generates reports tailored for blue team training, highlighting attack paths and vulnerabilities.
- Interoperability: Integrates with tools like Core Impact and Outflank Security Tooling.
- User-Defined Reflective Loader (UDRL): Enables custom loading of payloads into memory.
Cobalt Strike is used to assess an organization's security posture, train incident response teams, and identify vulnerabilities that traditional penetration tests might miss. It is a popular choice among government, large businesses, and consulting organizations.
