During a cybersecurity exercise, what role involves defending the network during an attack simulation?

The role that involves defending the network during an attack simulation is known as the Blue Team. In a cybersecurity context, the Blue Team is responsible for the proactive defense measures, incident response, and maintaining the security posture of an organization's information systems. This includes monitoring network activities, identifying vulnerabilities, and responding to threats in real time.

During attack simulations, which are often referred to as red team vs. blue team exercises, the Red Team acts as the attackers trying to breach security defenses, while the Blue Team works to detect and respond to those attacks in order to protect the network. This dynamic not only helps to enhance the security measures in place but also provides valuable insight into how well the organization's defenders can respond to actual threats.

The other roles mentioned serve different functions: the Red Team simulates attacks to test security measures, the Black Team generally refers to those who manage operations within a penetration testing framework without an explicit offense/defense label, and the White Team usually oversees the entire process, ensuring that rules are followed and maintaining the integrity of the exercise.