Date: 22 January 2025
The Case for Surprise Cyber Tabletop Exercises
If you are part of an organisation that already has a mature cybersecurity posture and you’ve invested enough time and resources on training your team in cyber incident response, a surprise cyber attack drill may just be what you need. Conducting cyber tabletop exercises as a surprise can provide a more accurate assessment of your readiness to handle real-world incidents. Unannounced attack scenarios test your team’s ability to react swiftly and effectively under pressure.
Surprise cyber drills can really be that litmus test for how effective your cybersecurity training and incident response planning so far has been. They can show up all the gaps in communication, decision-making, and technical response that still need to be plugged.
A surprise cyber security tabletop exercise will help you build a culture of vigilance. It will make team members more prepared for the unpredictable nature of cyber threats. While it may introduce temporary stress, a surprise exercise ultimately strengthens the organisation’s resilience.
Below are the top reasons for conducting a Surprise Cyber Attack Drill:
1. Testing Real-World Readiness
Cyber attacks are always unannounced. They will most likely come when you least expect them. It’s highly possible that all important stakeholders will not be available when an attack is detected. So a surprise cyber drill is actually the closest you can come to a real-life cyber attack. There’s truly no better way to assess your team’s real-time reaction to unexpected incidents than to simulate the unpredictability of a genuine cyber crisis.
2. Revealing True Weaknesses
When exercises are announced, participants may rely on pre-prepared scripts or ideal conditions. They can also make the time to go over Incident Response Plans and Processes which should ideally already be a part of their muscle memory. Some can argue that none of this accurately reflects real-world challenges or the stress of responding to a real crisis.
Surprise exercises can make gaps in communication and coordination crystal clear. They also make it apparent if any team members need more guidance or training on their roles during an attack situation.
3. Promoting a Culture of Vigilance
By conducting surprise exercises, you can instill a mindset of constant readiness in your team. Team members are more likely to remain vigilant, knowing they could be tested at any time. They are more likely to stay updated on current cyber threats and abreast with your latest Incident Response Playbooks and Plans.
Our Opinion: Choose the Right Approach for Your Organisation
As might be clear from the discussion above, the right choice of format for a cyber drill depends entirely on your organisation and its cybersecurity maturity. Essentially, if you’re just beginning your journey towards cyber resilience, planned cyber drills might be right for you.
As you progress towards better cyber readiness, you could opt for a mix of cybersecurity tabletop exercises. This might include planned cyber drills for new employees and/or surprise ones for those that have already received substantial training. Once you gain considerable confidence in your key team members’ ability to identify and respond to cyber crisis situations, unannounced cyber simulations might be the right way forward.
Here are some points to consider before you zero in on the format that’s right for your business:
1. Consider your organisational maturity: Are you just laying the foundation for a strong cybersecurity posture? Announced exercises will certainly be more beneficial for your staff. For mature organisations with established cyber incident response plans, surprise exercises can provide a more realistic test of readiness.
2. Define Clear Objectives: Understanding the purpose of the exercise is crucial. If the goal is to train and educate, an announced exercise may be more effective. If the objective is to evaluate real-world readiness, a surprise approach is ideal.
3. Evaluate Results and Adapt: Regardless of the approach, it’s essential to analyse the outcomes of the exercise and adapt your strategy. Continuous improvement should be at the core of any cybersecurity programme. Try a format that you feel might be most effective for your team, analyse the results. If you feel that your team needs more training after a surprise cyber drill, plan an announced one next time.
Final Word: Partner with an Expert for Your Cyber Drills
Both announced and surprise tabletop exercises have their place in a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. The choice between the two depends on your organisation’s goals, maturity level, and the outcomes you wish to achieve.
If you are uncertain about which format is right for you or how to get the most out of your cyber attack drill, consider enlisting the help of an expert. Our Cyber Drill facilitators have helped over 400 organisations identify the kind of cyber tabletop exercise they should conduct. They work closely with them to plan, design and execute a cyber drill that’s most effective for their organisation. The final result always is heightened confidence in our clients about their organisational cybersecurity. Read this Cyber Tabletop Exercise Case Study to know more.
Apart from just the surprise or planned element, it is also imperative to choose the right tabletop exercise scenarios. The cyber security drill scenario must be relevant to your business in order to evoke realistic responses from your team.
You might also want to consider our Cyber Tabletop Exercise Masterclass. You can learn from the world’s top cyber drill facilitator how to plan, produce and conduct an incident response tabletop exercise that gives you the results you need.
By planning and executing effective cyber attack drills, you can enhance your organisation’s resilience against cyber threats and build a robust culture of preparedness. Whether announced or surprise, the key is to ensure that every exercise is relevant, compelling and contributes to a stronger and more coordinated incident response capability.