hackingboth

hackingboth is a term used in cybersecurity discourse to describe an integrated approach that combines offensive red-team techniques with defensive blue-team resilience, used in training, research, and policy development. It is not a single product or organization but a family of concepts, practices, and resources that aim to bridge gaps between attack and defense perspectives.

The origin of the term is informal, arising in security communities and some academic writings since the late 2010s. Implementations vary; there is no universal standard. Proponents argue that hackingboth encourages collaboration, shared terminology, and holistic risk assessment by treating vulnerabilities and attacker methods as dual aspects of security.

Core components typically include cross-disciplinary training that exposes defenders to attacker workflows while giving attackers insight into defensive controls; threat emulation in controlled lab environments; shared playbooks and reporting formats; and governance measures such as ethics guidelines, access controls, and responsible disclosure policies.

Applications appear in corporate security programs, university curricula, and competitive red-blue exercises. The approach is praised for producing more resilient teams and more realistic risk models, but it also raises concerns about dual-use risks, misuse, and governance. Effective hackingboth programs emphasize risk assessment, supervision, and clear boundaries to prevent harm.

Related concepts include red team, blue team, adversary emulation, security training, and controlled cyber ranges.