As cyber-attacks and security breaches are becoming ever-present, organizations are looking for ways to increase their response time, locate the source cause, and minimize the damage. Responding to an incident may seem simple in theory however when faced with a real-time threat that damages the reputation of a company, loses the IP of an organization, and comes at a high cost, mistakes can happen. Tabletop exercises are scenarios to play out with the help of a company so that organizations and/or companies can improve their overall incident response posture, and be better prepared for a threat, attempt, cyber-attack, or security breach.
What Is a Tabletop Exercise?
Incident response tabletop exercises are sessions where team members meet with a facilitator to go through specific roles and responses in a cyber-attack or security breach situation. They are real-life scenarios where the staff gets to “play through” how a situation would come up, and how each member of the team can mitigate the damage fast while working as a unit.
Why They Work
Tabletop exercises incite your incident response plan, allow employees to practice their individual roles, and isolate any weaknesses. Beyond allowing team members to be fully engaged with the scenario in a way that’s difficult to do unless you’re fully engulfed in the scenario, tabletop exercises allow organizations to see what’s working, and what has room for improvement. They build confidence in each team member’s preparedness to deal with any number of possible security breaches or incidents and create a process that is second nature, rather than a panic response.
If you haven’t yet, it’s critical to practice tabletop exercises to ensure your company is ready for any cyber-attack, anytime. Utilize an outside organization to help facilitate protocols and make sure your team is trained and ready for the inevitable.
