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Imagine this: You’re sitting at your desk in your office building, engrossed in your work, when suddenly, the piercing sound of a fire alarm blares through the halls.
A low level of panic (or curiosity) ensues as you and everyone around you try to figure out if this is just a test or a real emergency.
In any case, no-one ignores the alarm…
- Everyone pays attention, and
- The people who know the role they must play if this is more than just a test get ready.
What has this got to do with cyber security?
Just like a fire alarm test, a tabletop cyber attack simulation allows you to test your reactions to a cyber incident without the chaos and damage of a real attack.
A simulation is unlikely to reveal issues with your technical security controls (That’s what a security penetration test, vulnerability scan, or security assessment is for).
However, a simulation will enable you to…
- Practice your response in a controlled environment, enhancing your team’s coordination, communication, and decision-making skills.
- Evaluate how well your incident response plan holds up under pressure.
- Uncover vulnerabilities in your organisational and people defences, so you can make necessary adjustments.
Even after one simple simulation exercise, you will be surprised how better everyone performs the next time around.
Don’t wait for an actual cyber attack to strike before testing your readiness. It’s a small investment that can make a world of difference if the alarm sounds for real.
PS If you don’t know how to run a simulation, I can help.