tabletop
exercise
Incident Response Tabletop Exercise
At CyberMass, our Incident Response Tabletop Exercise is a structured and intensive simulation designed to fortify your organization’s resilience against cybersecurity and physical security incidents. This exercise is strategically divided into two focused sessions: one aimed at empowering organizational leadership, including the Board of Directors and senior executives, and the other tailored for technical teams such as IT, Security, Communications, Legal, and the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or Chief Security Officer (CSO).
This dual-engineered approach strengthens your company’s defense by simultaneously enhancing the strategic oversight of leadership and the tactical proficiency of operational teams.
In collaboration with former FBI special agents, CyberMass presents a unique opportunity for businesses to engage in live mock incidents, offering firsthand feedback and guidance from seasoned former FBI Special Agents who held executive leadership positions within the Bureau, and decades of experience in combating cyber threats. These tabletop exercises are meticulously designed to simulate real-world scenarios, allowing organizations to proactively assess their response capabilities and strengthen their cybersecurity posture.
ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
Strategic Crisis Management
Critically evaluate and enhance leadership’s ability to navigate crises with strategic foresight and effective decision-making.
Crisis Communication
Refine communication strategies to ensure clarity, timeliness, and adherence to compliance and stakeholder management standards during a crisis.
Threat Awareness
Deepen leadership’s understanding of cyber/physical threats and their potential impact on the organization’s strategic objectives and reputation.
OPERATIONAL TEAM
Readiness Assessment
Conduct a thorough evaluation of the team’s preparedness to manage and mitigate complex cyber threats in a realistic simulation environment.
Incident Management
Test and improve the efficiency of incident detection, analysis, containment, and recovery protocols.
Integrated Response
Ensure seamless integration of technical response strategies with broader organizational policies, particularly in legal and communications frameworks.
STRUCTURED SCHEDULE
AND EXECUTION PLAN
PRELIMINARY PHASE
- Consultation Sessions: Initial consultations to tailor exercise scenarios to your specific industry risks, operational environment, and cybersecurity posture.
- Custom Scenario Development: Develop scenarios that are relevant and challenging, focusing on threats most pertinent to your operational context.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOCUS (1.5 DAYS)
- Half-Day 1: Interactive sessions on cyber risk management, crisis leadership roles, and compliance obligations.
- Full Day 2: Scenario-based simulations targeting board-level decision-making during cyber-attack scenarios, with an emphasis on strategic responses and stakeholder communication.
OPERATIONAL TEAM DRILL (2.5 DAYS)
- Half-Day 1: Interactive sessions on cyber risk management, crisis leadership roles, and compliance obligations.
- Full Day 2: Scenario-based simulations targeting board-level decision-making during cyber-attack scenarios, with an emphasis on strategic responses and stakeholder communication.
INTEGRATION & FEEDBACK (DAY 3)
- Debriefing: A session for all participants, focusing on performance review, strategic and technical decision analysis, and procedural effectiveness.
- Preliminary Findings: Presentation of preliminary findings to the executive team, outlining key insights and initial recommendations.
- Q&A and Conclusion: An open discussion followed by a conclusion, setting the stage for a comprehensive report.
DELIVERABLES
Strategic Leadership and Tactical Insights
Nuanced Analysis: A detailed analysis distinguishing between leadership and technical insights, tailored to the respective audiences.
Policy and Protocol Enhancement
Incident Response Review: A thorough critique of current Incident Response protocols compared to industry benchmarks, highlighting areas for improvement.
Tools and Resources Assessment
Resource Evaluation: An assessment of the cybersecurity tools and resources available, evaluating their effectiveness and offering improvement suggestions.
Roles and Responsibilities Clarification
IR Team Structure Analysis: A review of the Incident Response team structure, ensuring role clarity, alignment with best practices, and operational efficiency.
Skill Set and Readiness Review
Competency Assessment: A deep dive into the IR team’s competencies, identifying strengths and areas for further development or training.
Recovery Process Audit
Data Recovery Review: A comprehensive review of the data recovery process executed during the exercise, providing insights into its effectiveness and potential areas for improvement.
Actionable Improvement Recommendations
Targeted Recommendations: Practical recommendations based on exercise observations, aimed at strengthening your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
In-Depth Final Report
Comprehensive Report: A meticulously prepared report summarizing the exercise’s findings, analyses, and recommendations, structured to support both strategic decision-making and technical action planning.