Multi-disciplinary, multi-departmental, and/or multi-organizational exercises realistically simulate cyber attack scenarios. These complex events involve various entities and aim to closely mimic a large-scale, real-world response. Full-scale exercises are often understood as technical-functional exercises, combining technical-level tasks with process and decision-making activities. The objective is to improve an organization’s functionalities and procedures, thereby enhancing performance.
Effectiveness of full-scale exercises
Realistic cyber exercises in an isolated environment enable organizations to prepare for major cyber security incidents and understand how different attacks impact business continuity. Full-scale exercises include collaboration and cooperation with other organizations, such as partners, service providers, authorities, or entities within the same business sector.
These exercises replicate real systems, architecture, and technologies of participating organizations, including IT infrastructure, cyber security controls, and business systems and applications. Data structures and flows are created between organizational systems to ensure realism and interdependencies. Full-scale exercises are not competitive; they focus on developing an organization’s capabilities to handle cyber attacks and include joint activities for training and cooperation with other organizations. They train personnel in their roles and activities needed during cyber incident handling.
By participating in full-scale exercises, organizations can identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities in their environment and procedures. These exercises are an excellent method to improve overall organizational capabilities against cyber attacks, making them more prepared and resilient, which aids in handling and recovering from cyber incidents. Organization can improve their internal and external communications, and leadership in emergencies. Through exercise, organization and personnel can have more clarified areas of responsibility and increased confidence in coping with uncertainty.
About exercising with JYVSECTEC
Exercises are planned together with the customer, with content based on specific goals and scope. They usually focus on improving the teams and functionalities involved in cyber incidents. The exercises provide an opportunity for organizations to demonstrate their critical capabilities and fine-tune their operations.
Through full-scale exercises, organizations can gain experience in handling cyber crises within their own environment and with critical collaboration partners.
