Deter Cybercriminals with a Tabletop Exercise

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often have a small budget for Cyber Security. Cyber Criminals know this, and that is why they often target SMBs. But an affordable simulation practice called a Tabletop Exercise may be able to help you fend off these crippling attacks.  

The first step in a Tabletop Exercise involves a virtual meeting between the business owner and there Cyber Security partner. During this step, they will discuss the action team members may take during a ransomware attack, DDoS, or other threat. 

Then, during the Tabletop Exercise, a facilitator will guide participants through various scenarios designed to test the participants’ responses to a Cyber Attack and help them develop an effective Cyber Security plan. For example, what if your business is under attack and the CIO or other key member of the Cyber Security Response team is not available? In such a situation, it is important to have a plan in place that outlines the steps to take. Without immediate access to key personnel, your business may be vulnerable to further damage. 

Important steps 

It is also important to establish alternative communication methods and backup plans to ensure a swift response to any threats. Tabletop Exercises also cover such issues as identifying the access level each team member has, who needs to be notified in case of a breach, and how to communicate with customers during a breach. 

To ensure the success of a Tabletop Exercise, the leader needs to know different Cyber Security scenarios and how to respond to them. And facilitators need to understand the client’s incident response plans and how to carry them out. 

A facilitator will begin by creating open-ended questions that spark conversations, like discussing the best ways to deal with an insider threat. The facilitator will also give updates on different situations and guide the discussions. 

Participants should be encouraged to open up, so management and the Managed IT Services Provider should make it clear at the outset that there are no “correct” or “incorrect” answers in a Tabletop Exercise. Rather, the exercise is designed to let participants learn what to do during a crisis, so everyone involved should be encouraged to challenge themselves and others respectfully. 

Further, leaders should emphasize that it is fine if someone cannot answer a question during the meeting. Instead, the goal is to work together to find weaknesses and come up with solutions. No one is interested in assigning blame in a Tabletop Exercise. 

Participants should be encouraged to speak their thoughts out loud to reduce tension and support each other. The exercise should seek to identify any gaps in the business team, such as breaks in the chain of responsibility where no one is clearly in charge of something. 

Because Tabletop Exercises are low-stress and low-cost, your organization can schedule one periodically: annually at a minimum, but preferably every quarter. After all, Cyber Criminals are continually evolving, so their intended victims cannot fall behind on their own planning. Small businesses can usually finish these exercises in less than an hour, although the exact time will depend on such factors as the scenario design specifics, the number of participants, and the goals that are established ahead of the exercise. 

A Tabletop Exercise is a cost-effective and safe way for businesses to test emergency response plans. It helps employees understand their roles in emergencies and can provide a safe space to consider potential threats that could impact normal operations. 

Tabletop Exercises help business leaders ensure that their key personnel are trained and prepared for emergencies. By participating in a Tabletop Exercise, your business can test its response plans and identify areas for improvement. This proactive approach can help minimize the impact of emergencies on your organization, improving response times and reducing damage. Trained eMazzanti specialists can design and help you execute a Tabletop Exercise.