2025-12-13 –, Track 2
“Why do you want to become a red teamer?”, that’s the question I usually ask when people approach me with, “How do I become one?”
The answers vary, but their desire is the same.
Over the years, I’ve seen and done some incredible things. One of the rewarding aspects of red teaming is the freedom we’re given to achieve our goals. Equally important is creativity, the best testers are those who can think outside the box.
There are plenty of reasons to want to join a red team. For example, as I write this from my phone in a car park, I can see a building across the road that once belonged to a building society. During an assessment, I broke into that building, walked in as if I had worked there for years, found a spot, plugged in my laptop, captured hashes.
Every day we encounter familiar brands, and some of us are lucky or unlucky because we can’t help but think, “I’ve tested that.”
Why share this now? I see many people curious about the field, and I get asked about it. That’s why I want to share these tips with a room full of people, and later, with anyone who watches the recording.
This talk will explore the year-to-year realities of red teaming: the highs, the lows, and the challenges. It will cover the skills and experiences required, recruitment and interviews, whether CTFs help, testing styles, creativity, risks, and personality traits from addictive tendencies to dyslexia. I’ll share stories of assessments, rooftops, lifts, captured hashes, AD, research, labs, and the professions that help shape strong red teamers.
Neil Lines is a senior security consultant with over 10+ years of experience in penetration testing and red teaming. He has worked with leading consultancies, specialising in offensive security simulations, and began his career in IT and networking roles. Neil has presented at numerous conferences and has given guest lecturers at leading universities, sharing his expertise and real-world insights with both industry professionals and students.