In order to be adequately prepared for a cybersecurity incident, it is important to stress test your incident response capabilities. One way to do this is by conducting regular tabletop exercises. Tabletop exercises are simulations that allow you to test your incident response plan in a safe and controlled environment. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of tabletop exercises and provide tips on how to conduct them effectively.
Tabletop exercises offer a number of benefits depending on what scenarios your organization wants to test, such as:
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Allowing you to test your incident response plan in a safe and controlled environment
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Helping you to identify gaps in your incident response capabilities
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Providing an opportunity for incident responders to practice their skills
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Allowing you to assess and measure the effectiveness of your incident response team
Over the past several years, Lares has conducted numerous tabletop exercises ranging from ransomware preparedness to crisis communication optimization to data backup and restoration KPIs. Based on our experience facilitating these conversations, it is important to keep the following tips in mind:
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Make sure that all incident responders are aware of the exercise and understand their roles.
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Keep the exercise realistic by simulating as many aspects of a real incident as possible.
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Avoid finger pointing and confrontation.
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Document everything that has been done during the exercise as a means of creating or refining existing procedures.
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Conduct debriefs after the exercise is completed in order to collaboratively identify areas for improvement.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your tabletop exercises are effective in stress testing your incident response capabilities. Tabletop exercises are an essential part of incident response planning and should be conducted on a regular basis. By doing so, you can ensure that your organization is prepared to handle any incident that may occur.
Do you conduct tabletop exercises as part of your incident response planning? Contact us today to learn how we can help you schedule your first exercise or enhance what you’ve already been doing. Thanks for reading!
Andrew Hay is the COO at Lares and is a veteran cybersecurity executive, strategist, industry analyst, data scientist, threat and vulnerability researcher, and international public speaker with close to 25 years of cybersecurity experience across multiple domains. He prides himself on his ability to execute the security strategy of the company with which he works without neglecting business objectives and the needs of its customers. Andrew is the author of multiple books on advanced security topics and is frequently approached to provide expert commentary on industry developments. He has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Bloomberg, Wired, USA Today, and CSO Magazine.
