Command and Control (C2) simulation is a cybersecurity testing technique that mimics the behavior of an attacker’s C2 infrastructure within an organization’s network to assess its detection and response capabilities. In real-world attacks, C2 channels are used by threat actors to communicate with compromised systems, issue commands, exfiltrate data, and orchestrate further malicious activity. By simulating C2 operations, security teams can evaluate how well their defenses respond to these threats and identify areas where detection and response can be strengthened.

During a C2 simulation, cybersecurity professionals replicate common tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used in C2 communications, such as encrypted or obfuscated traffic over protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, or DNS, and test the organization’s ability to detect these covert channels. The simulation might also involve creating controlled C2 connections to test how intrusion detection systems (IDS), endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, and other monitoring tools react to simulated malicious traffic.

C2 simulations can be carried out with varying levels of sophistication, from basic beacons to advanced, persistent channels, to see how well security teams can distinguish between normal network traffic and signs of an attack. This type of testing helps organizations understand how resilient their network is against malware, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats (APTs) that rely heavily on C2 for coordination.

By performing C2 simulations, organizations gain valuable insights into their security posture, helping them to fine-tune their defenses, improve alerting mechanisms, and train incident response teams on handling C2-based attacks. C2 simulation is essential for organizations aiming to improve their readiness against sophisticated attackers who rely on stealthy, continuous communications to maintain control over compromised systems.