• July 15, 2024November 4, 2024
• Betterleg Studios

How to Conduct a Tabletop Exercise

As technology leader, preparing for your first SOC 2 audit is a major milestone. One critical element in that preparation is ensuring that your team knows how to respond effectively to cybersecurity incidents. That’s where a tabletop exercise comes in. This structured discussion simulates a real-world incident, allowing your team to walk through the steps of detection, containment, and recovery without the pressure of an actual crisis.

In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of conducting a tabletop exercise for your incident response plan, ensuring your team is ready for any potential cybersecurity threats and better prepared for your SOC 2 audit.

What Is a Tabletop Exercise?

A tabletop exercise is a simulation where your team discusses and walks through the steps they would take in response to a hypothetical security incident. Unlike a full-blown simulation that involves actual systems, this is a discussion-based drill, making it a low-cost, low-disruption way to test your preparedness.

The goal of a tabletop exercise is to:

• Identify gaps in your incident response plan.
• Ensure your team knows their roles during a security incident.
• Test your communication and decision-making processes.
• Document your preparedness for auditors.
• Build a culture of security awareness across your team.

Planning Your Tabletop Exercise

1. Set Clear Objectives

Before starting the exercise, define what you want to achieve. Are you testing specific parts of your incident response plan, such as communication or containment? Are you focused on a specific threat scenario like ransomware, phishing, or insider threats? Your objectives will shape the entire exercise.

• Example Objectives:
  • Ensure we have the right people as part of our Incident Response Team
  • Test how quickly your team can detect and contain a phishing attack.
  • Evaluate your incident communication plan (internal and external).
  • Identify any gaps in your response procedures or roles.

2. Choose a Relevant Scenario

The scenario you choose should be realistic and relevant to your company’s operations. For example, if your company handles sensitive data, you might simulate a data breach. If you use cloud-based infrastructure, a cloud misconfiguration or DDoS attack could be a good scenario.

• Common Scenarios:
  • Ransomware Attack: Your organization’s critical files are encrypted, and a ransom is demanded.
  • Phishing Incident: An employee clicks on a malicious email link, leading to unauthorized access to internal systems.
  • Insider Threat: A disgruntled employee attempts to exfiltrate sensitive data.
  • Data Breach: An external attacker gains unauthorized access to sensitive customer information.

3. Assemble the Team

Your tabletop exercise should involve key stakeholders from across the company, not just the IT department. This will ensure you’re testing communication and coordination between different functions, which is essential in a real-world incident.

• Roles to Include:
  • Incident Response Team: IT and security staff who are on the front lines during an incident.
  • Executives: Leadership team members who make critical decisions, such as whether to pay a ransom or notify customers.
  • Legal: Ensures that responses are in line with legal obligations, such as data breach notifications.
  • Communications/PR: Responsible for crafting internal and external messages during an incident.
  • HR: Can help manage internal communications or employee-related incidents.

Conducting the Tabletop Exercise

1. Set the Stage

Begin by briefing the participants on the purpose of the exercise and the scenario they’ll be working through. Remind everyone that this is a learning exercise, and the goal is to improve, not to “pass” or “fail.” Assign a facilitator to lead the discussion and ensure everyone stays on track.

• Briefing Example: “Today, we’ll be simulating a ransomware attack where our financial systems are encrypted, and the attackers are demanding a ransom in cryptocurrency. Our goal is to walk through how we would detect the attack, communicate with stakeholders, and respond to the incident.”

2. Guide the Discussion

As the exercise begins, walk the team through the stages of the incident—detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. The facilitator should prompt participants with questions to help them think critically about their roles and responsibilities during each phase.

• Key Questions to Ask:
  • Detection: How would we know that an incident is happening? What monitoring tools do we have in place to detect unusual activity?
  • Containment: What steps would we take to limit the damage? How do we isolate affected systems?
  • Eradication: How do we remove the threat from our systems? Who is responsible for this step?
  • Recovery: How do we restore systems and data to their normal state? What are our priorities for getting the business back online?

3. Identify Gaps

As you progress through the scenario, gaps in your plan will likely emerge. These could include unclear roles, missing documentation, or communication breakdowns. Encourage participants to speak up if they encounter any issues or uncertainties.

• Common Gaps to Watch For:
  • Lack of clarity on who is responsible for key decisions.
  • Gaps in internal and external communication protocols.
  • Unclear escalation procedures.

4. Document Findings

Throughout the exercise, designate a note-taker to document key takeaways, including gaps identified and areas for improvement. This documentation will be valuable for improving your incident response plan and as evidence for any future audit requests.

After the Tabletop Exercise

1. Conduct a Debrief

Once the exercise is complete, hold a debrief session to discuss what went well and what could be improved. This is your opportunity to fine-tune your incident response plan and ensure your team is aligned on how to handle a real-world incident.

• Debrief Questions:
  • What went well during the exercise?
  • Were there any points of confusion or gaps in the plan?
  • Are there any additional tools or resources we need to improve our response?

2. Update Your Incident Response Plan

Based on the findings from the exercise, update your incident response plan. This might include clarifying roles, improving communication processes, or adding new tools and procedures. Be sure to document these changes so that they’re available for your SOC 2 auditors.

3. Plan for Regular Exercises

A single tabletop exercise is a great start, but regular exercises will ensure your team stays sharp. Consider scheduling quarterly or biannual tabletop exercises to keep everyone prepared for potential incidents.

Conclusion

Conducting a tabletop exercise is an effective way to ensure your team is prepared for cybersecurity incidents while also demonstrating your commitment to security ahead of your SOC 2 audit. By choosing a relevant scenario, involving the right people, and documenting your findings, you’ll be well on your way to improving your incident response capabilities and securing your company’s future.