Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercises: Guaranteeing Real Success in a Virtual World

Cybersecurity has become one of the key concerns for business owners due to the growing dependency of businesses on technology these days. We are not saying that technology is evil. But some bad actors are always looking for some loopholes to steal others personal and valuable data. As per research by security experts, “companies have experienced 148% spike in ransomware attacks after the wave of Covid-19 global pandemic.”

To protect your business assets and reputation, getting ready with an effective incident response process is the first step to combat any bad event. We all know that without having a proper cyber security incident response plan can expose your business badly. Similarly, it is also very much essential to test its effectiveness and validity on regular basis. Cyberattack simulation exercises are crucial for the safety of any business today.

What are Tabletop Exercises for Cybersecurity?

Availability of a good cyber security incident response plan in hand tells you what to do in case of a potential cybersecurity incident. This plan needs to be properly documented with specified roles and responsibilities of every individual in the team.

On the other hand, an incident response tabletop exercise is a cost-effective way to test the validity and efficiency of an IR plan. These exercises are the safest way to conduct simulation attack drills. One of the key objectives for these is to create intense pressure on stakeholders. This way they will be forced to act and think as they are under a real cyber-attack.

Key Benefits of IR Tabletop Exercise:

Here are some of the key benefits of running incident response tabletop exercises;

Improving your company’s readiness to fight a data breach.

Create muscle memory for managers and other staff who will react to the attack.

Check if your IR plans are suitable for your purpose.

Assessing if key decision-makers & management are aware of their roles and responsibilities.

Pushing light on how equipped your organization is for a cyber-attack.

Evaluate if financial allocations towards IR tech and infrastructure are sufficient.

Imperative phases of cyber incident response tabletop exercise

Identify the right stakeholders:

This might sound like a basic first step for any exercise, but it turns to a whole new dimension when we talk about cybersecurity tabletop exercises. While identifying the participants in these workshops, the management is trying to make the larger decision of finalizing key stakeholders in the process of cybersecurity process making. The process of finalizing the participants of a cyber tabletop exercise is a long-term and more strategic decision for the business than may seem otherwise.

The Scenario:

This is essential to have a cyber security consultant company on your side with CISO experts for a successful cybersecurity tabletop exercise. They will come up with the relevant scenario and are capable to create actual anxiety and pressure in the minds of participants. The scenario must be specific to the business model and its framework and based on threats and risks that are real for the business.

The Real Exercise:

Throughout the exercise, your cybersecurity consultancy partner will create an atmosphere of pressure on the participants to simulate the environment they may face during a real cyberattack. The scenario will unfold itself in quick stages so that stakeholders are forced to think proactively and collaborate with the right person accordingly.

Evaluation and Reporting:

The next and final phase of the tabletop exercise is the evaluation and reporting at the end of the workshop. The report will bring the actual face of your cybersecurity infrastructure, IR plans & processes, and inter-departmental coordination to respond to an attack and mitigate the damage to a minimum.

You cannot ignore the importance of an effective tabletop exercise. The above reasons are enough to change your mind if you are not aware of its benefits. CSI offers top-notch cyber security solutions in USA providing all-inclusive cybersecurity solutions.