What are Tabletop Exercises?

Tabletop exercises (TTX) are scenario-based simulation activities that create a mock security incident to test a designated incident response team (IRT). By immersing the IRT members in their roles, TTX scenarios illuminate gaps in communication, decision-making and inter-departmental coordination, all of which can create vulnerabilities in systems, processes and organizational dynamics that a general assessment could overlook. 

Tabletop exercises allow organizations to test an incident response plan at full scale and observe the entirety of the IRT’s performance under pressure. In addition to testing, the exercise provides training that builds familiarity with the process and improves response to actual cyber incidents.

TTXs improve overall cybersecurity preparedness on many levels. Participation in these programs also fosters a culture of awareness, foresight and preparedness, making cybersecurity an integral part of every employee’s role.

ZeroDay Law’s Tabletop Exercise Services

ZeroDay Law’s tabletop top exercises are uniquely tailored to provide a customized, realistic threat scenario that will best work with your current incident response plans and processes. Every exercise provides a meaningful immersion into the roles each department would play, followed by actionable post-exercise analysis and recommendations provided by ZeroDay Law.

More than a simple simulation, ZeroDay Law’s tabletop exercises provide an actual experience—a realistic cyber threat scenario tailored to challenge incident response across an organization. While each exercise is unique to the organization’s needs, the fundamental steps of the process include:

1. Studying clients’ operations and culture from a legal and operational perspective and then planning and scoping the exercise based on client objectives and organizational landscape. 
2. Conferring with forensic experts to create a customized realistic threat scenario that accurately simulates potential cyber threats.
3. Facilitating tabletop exercises to maximize employee engagement.
4. Evaluating exercise outcomes to identify areas for improvement, lessons learned and provide actionable recommendations.
5. Following up with post-exercise action items and other recommendations for your organization.

Benefits of Tabletop Exercises

Tabletop exercises offer organizations technical and non-technical benefits that can enhance cybersecurity programs, policies and culture.

• Identifying vulnerabilities provides insights for improving and refining cybersecurity incident response plans, policies and strategies.
• Improving interdepartmental communication creates familiarity and comfort between groups that streamline future incident response actions.
• Simulating real-world pressure tests decision-making capabilities and improves decision-making skills.
• Reviewing results provides actionable insights for improving or refining cybersecurity processes.
• Experiencing a cyber threat (even a simulated one) fosters a culture of awareness and preparedness.

Why Choose ZeroDay Law?

ZeroDay Law focuses on meeting the growing demand for legal expertise in the ever-changing cyber threat landscape. We are an agile team of cyber and privacy law specialists dedicated to helping clients improve their cybersecurity posture.

A proactive approach to cybersecurity is essential to safeguard a company's assets and ensure its ability to function. Tabletop exercises are a powerful element of a comprehensive cybersecurity program as they represent a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, enhancing inter-departmental collaboration, and ensuring an organization’s readiness to respond to cyber threats effectively. 

Protecting your organization from cyber threats demands proactivity and begins with a conversation with the tabletop exercise specialists at ZeroDay Law. Take the first step toward a new level of cybersecurity preparedness. Contact ZeroDay Law to learn how!