Publication Date
5-2026
School
School of Business
Major
Computer Science
Keywords
Command-and-Control, Adversary Emulation, Red Team, Blue Team, Purple Team
Disciplines
Cybersecurity | Information Security | Software Engineering | Systems Architecture
Recommended Citation
Chen, Caleb J., "Know Thy Enemy: Building a Command-and-Control Solution for Adversarial Emulation" (2026). Senior Honors Theses. 1585.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1585
Abstract
Command and Control (C2) is a critical part of any cyberattack. It serves many purposes, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, data exfiltration, and malware deployment. Consequently, C2 frameworks play an important part in red team engagements and adversary emulation. However, many adversary emulation solutions focus on comprehensive testing through sequential technique execution instead of realistic chained and automated attacks. The proposed solution is Centurion, an open-source C2 framework that integrates MITRE's ATT&CK framework and several cybersecurity tools into modular playbooks for effective threat emulation. This paper provides background by defining key terms and concepts before delving into a literature review of C2 use cases and adversary emulation tools and frameworks. The paper applies these topics by providing system design documentation for Centurion, including goals, architecture, and incorporated technology. Finally, the paper describes how Centurion can be utilized in adversarial emulation workflows to boost efficiency and effectiveness.
Included in
Cybersecurity Commons, Information Security Commons, Software Engineering Commons, Systems Architecture Commons
