Insider Access Simulation Exercise (IASE)
A controlled assessment designed to evaluate your organization’s resilience against insider threats through live, embedded access simulation.
Overview
The Insider Access Simulation Exercise (IASE) is a specialized service engagement designed to test an organization’s detection, response, and control mechanisms against insider threat scenarios.
Unlike traditional red team operations that simulate external adversaries, IASE focuses on evaluating internal risk by placing a trusted and authorized operator into your environment as a simulated insider.
Operating under agreed parameters, the simulation explores what a motivated insider can access, escalate, or exfiltrate with standard onboarding, valid credentials, and insider context.
Download Sample Pentest Report
Review a sample Network Penetration Test Report based on a theoretical engagement.
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Authorized social engineering attacks: prepare and deliver targeted campaigns
Objectives of the Engagement
The exercise is structured around specific, measurable objectives, including but not limited to:
- Testing the effectiveness of identity and access controls across user roles
- Evaluating lateral movement possibilities within the network or cloud platforms
- Assessing monitoring capabilities for anomalous behavior from valid credentials
- Determining the feasibility of privilege escalation using common tooling or access paths
- Validating the organization’s ability to detect and respond to internal data exfiltration
- Analyzing exposure introduced during standard onboarding and provisioning processes
- All objectives are tailored based on the organization’s size, technology stack, and sector-specific concerns.
Approach
Each engagement begins with a planning session to define scope, goals, and operational constraints. The simulation proceeds through a phased methodology:
- Role identification and scoping (e.g., engineering, marketing, IT contractor)
- Establishment of access and environment setup
- Background coordination with HR and legal, if required
- Operator is embedded within the organization under real or simulated employment
- Activities are performed discreetly within agreed-upon limits
- All actions are logged and monitored by WKL operational leads
- Findings are mapped against predefined objectives
- Detection capabilities, gaps, and misconfigurations are highlighted
- Tactical and strategic recommendations are delivered for internal teams
The simulation can be conducted with or without the knowledge of internal security personnel, depending on the engagement model.
Engagement Models
We offer several formats to suit your internal security goals:
Blind Simulation
The operator is embedded without the knowledge of the security team. This option provides the most realistic insight into detection capability and response maturity.
Informed Simulation
Security or SOC personnel are aware of the assessment and may engage as part of a blue team response. This model is suited for training and control validation.
Hybrid Simulation
Combines internal insider simulation with coordinated external threat scenarios (e.g., phishing, physical access testing) to test defense in depth.
Outcomes and Deliverables
At the conclusion of the engagement, your organization will receive:
- A written report detailing all actions performed and objectives pursued
- Documentation of access paths, privilege escalation opportunities, and abuse of trust
- Assessment of detection and response performance throughout the simulation
- A prioritized list of remediation recommendations aligned with internal teams (e.g., IT, Security, HR)
- Optional live debrief with stakeholders to walk through findings and answer questions
- All data, logs, and materials remain securely handled throughout the assessment and are permanently deleted after the client has acknowledged final delivery.
Get Started
The Insider Access Simulation Exercise is ideal for organizations seeking to validate internal controls, meet regulatory risk management expectations, or simply understand how exposed they may be to insider activity.
Contact our team to begin a risk-free consultation or to review a sample engagement structure.
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