A penetration test is a focused form of cyber security assessment designed to identify as many vulnerabilities as possible over a short period of time, often just a few days. Pen tests are usually performed to assess specific areas such as networks and web applications. A red team operation is an extended form of engagement conducted over a period of weeks and designed to achieve a set objective such as data exfiltration. These operations follow a black-box methodology to ensure they accurately reflect the approach of genuine attackers.