Purple › Module 2 › Lesson 1
Red Blue Purple
Red blue purple literacy names offensive simulation, defensive detection, and collaborative purple coordination — read team roles on YOUR $PURPLE_LAB notes before live exercises.
Visual · t35_red_blue_purple
Red blue purple literacy. $PURPLE_LAB only. Original Cyberlium.
Opening
Three functions, one feedback loop — literacy teaches red-blue-purple roles so lab exercises train coordinated detection on hosts you document.
Red team simulates adversary behavior on authorized assets — produces telemetry and technique evidence. Blue team detects, responds, and tunes alerts from that telemetry. Purple team coordinates the exercise, maps ATT&CK coverage, and closes the feedback loop between simulation and detection engineering. Cyberlium maps red blue purple on YOUR $PURPLE_LAB — document fictional role assignments and handoff points on paper. Next: Methodology.
1. Team functions (named)
Red: authorized simulation on YOUR lab hosts — technique execution, telemetry generation, scope adherence. Blue: detection tuning, alert triage, rule validation from exercise output. Purple: exercise design, coverage mapping, findings coordination, detection backlog prioritization.
On $PURPLE_LAB, write role row — function, responsibility, handoff artifact for one fictional exercise.
Command guide
Try these commands — Team functions (named)
═══ TOOLS & WEBSITES ═══ Browse / read these (authorized learning only — stay in YOUR lab / program scope)
MITRE ATT&CK — https://attack.mitre.org/ Atomic Red Team — https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team Sigma — https://sigmahq.io/
═══ INSTALL ═══
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):
Command — copy this
sudo apt install curl
macOS: Built-in
Windows: Built-in (PowerShell: Invoke-WebRequest)
═══ LINUX / macOS ═══
Command — copy this
export PURPLE_LAB=${PURPLE_LAB:-$HOME/cyberlium-lab/t35-purple}
cat > "$PURPLE_LAB/notes/red-blue-purple.txt" <<'EOF'
Red / Blue / Purple — NAMED LITERACY:
Red team: simulates adversary TTPs on AUTHORIZED scope to test defenses
Blue team: detects, responds, hardens — SOC, IR, detection engineering
Purple team: collaborative loop — plan sim → run safe test → validate detection → tune rule
Purple goal: close detection gaps with evidence — not 'win' against blue
Lab: document purple loop on YOUR $PURPLE_LAB — no stranger-network sims
EOFCommand — copy this
grep -E 'Red team|Blue team|Purple team|stranger' "$PURPLE_LAB/notes/red-blue-purple.txt" curl -sS https://attack.mitre.org/ | head -8
Primary tools to practice this lesson: grep, curl. Reference sites: MITRE ATT&CK (https://attack.mitre.org/); Atomic Red Team (https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team); Sigma (https://sigmahq.io/). Run every command in the box — install first, then the usage lines — only on YOUR lab / program scope.
2. Why role literacy prevents siloed exercises
Red without blue produces untested techniques. Blue without red validates stale rules against yesterday's threats. Purple without both lacks coordinated coverage improvement. Mature programs document handoffs — sim log to detection ticket.
Students assign lab roles on notes — production exercises follow org charters and written rules of engagement.
3. Lab boundary
Forbidden: treating red sim as license for stranger-network attacks. Allowed: red blue purple card — three functions with $PURPLE_LAB fictional assignments.
Ship: red blue purple card for YOUR lab exercise. Next: Methodology.
4. What you ship: red blue purple card for $PURPLE_LAB
Three functions with handoff artifacts. $PURPLE_LAB named. chmod 600.
5. What you record before the next lesson
Date. Red blue purple card. $PURPLE_LAB named. File t35-m02-l01-red-blue-purple.txt chmod 600.
6. Wrong vs right: stranger networks vs YOUR purple lab
Worked failure — same MSF word, opposite target. Right never needs a café Wi-Fi or classmate laptop.
Wrong
Run red sim on stranger network because 'blue needs alerts.' Skip purple coordination entirely.
Right
Write red blue purple card for YOUR $PURPLE_LAB. Next: Methodology.
Mission: map red blue purple on YOUR lab
1) Define red, blue, purple in one sentence each. 2) Write one handoff artifact per function. 3) Name which role owns detection backlog. 4) chmod 600.
Stuck? Ask Cyberlium AI Mentor
Purple owns the feedback loop — sim without detection follow-up wastes the exercise.
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Red team on Cyberlium primarily:
Multiple choice
Knowledge Check
APPLY: True or False: Purple team coordinates the feedback loop between simulation and detection.
True or False
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Red blue purple literacy on Cyberlium uses:
Multiple choice