Which team performs offensive security assessments like penetration testing?

SY0-701 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

D Red

Question

A company hired a consultant to perform an offensive security assessment covering penetration testing and social engineering. Which of the following teams will conduct this assessment activity?
  1. White
  2. Purple
  3. Blue
  4. Red Correct Answer

Key Takeaways

The question tests your knowledge of the different security team roles and the specific term 'offensive' — the trap is confusing Red with Purple or Blue because all roles may be involved in security testing but only Red is purely offensive.

Red teams conduct offensive security assessments including penetration testing and social engineering, as opposed to blue teams which defend. Community consensus clearly identifies the Red team (D) as the correct answer in CompTIA Security+ SY0-701.

Common mistake: The most common mistake is selecting Blue (C) because test takers associate security assessments with the security/defense team, overlooking that Blue teams are defensive only. Some also confuse Purple (B) as it combines offensive and defensive, but the stem specifically asks for the offensive role.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

The Red team is explicitly known as the offensive team in cybersecurity exercises. Comment [2] notes that offensive penetration testing is known as “red teaming” and actively seeks vulnerabilities to exploit, which matches the question's description. The phrase “offensive security assessment” directly points to Red because Red teams simulate real-world attacks. This is a standard definition in CompTIA Security+ and industry practice.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

The Blue team (C) is purely defensive, tasked with detecting and responding to attacks, not initiating offensive assessments. The Purple team (B) combines both Red and Blue tactics, but it is not purely offensive and is typically a collaborative exercise. The White team (A) is not an offensive unit; it acts as an impartial referee, ensuring legal and ethical boundaries are respected during tests. As comment [4] explains, only Red team is correct because of the keyword “offensive.”

Community Comment Notes

Community votes overwhelmingly support D, with 90 votes for Red. Comment [1] succinctly states "red teams are offensive and blue teams are defensive." Several comments confirm that the term "offensive" is the key indicator. Comment [6] clarifies that Blue detects and responds while Red conducts the attacks, further solidifying the answer. Additionally, comment [4] breaks down each option, reinforcing why Red is the only logical choice.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Focus on operational keywords like 'offensive' or 'simulates attacks' to instantly identify the Red team. Remember the color mnemonic: Red = attacker (offensive), Blue = defender (defensive), Purple = combo, White = referee.

Community Votes

D
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 7 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 7

  1. Jimmy1017 👍 11 Answered D
    D because red teams are offensive and blue teams are defensive
  2. Abcd123321 👍 8 Answered D
    Offensive Penetration Testing ■ Known as “red teaming” ■ Actively seeks vulnerabilities and attempts to exploit them, like a real cyber attack ■ Helps uncover and report vulnerabilities to improve security ■ Can simulate real-world attacks and gain support for cybersecurity investments
  3. barracouto 👍 5 Answered D
    offensive security... im offended.. im mad.. so mad my face is red... D. Red
  4. s1_move 👍 4
    Correct Answer: D. Red Team (Offensive - key word) A. White team ensures security testing is conducted within legal and ethical boundaries B. Purple team combines aspects of red and blue teams C. Blue team is defensive
  5. dbrowndiver 👍 3 Answered B
    Authenticity Verification: Code signing assures users and developers that the code is genuine and originates from a legitimate source. If the code is altered, the digital signature becomes invalid, alerting users to potential tampering.
Show 2 more comments
  1. PAWarriors 👍 2 Answered D
    Correct answer is D. Red team conducts offensive attacks, while the blue team detects and responds. Also, purple teaming combines elements of offensive and defensive testing.
  2. vm_mscs 👍 1 Answered D
    The company hired someone from outside. Pen testing is offensive, so red team.

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