You have antivirus software. Firewalls. Maybe even an incident response plan. On paper, it looks solid.
But what happens when things go off script? A tabletop exercise doesn’t just test your documentation. It tests your people. Your communication. Your ability to adapt when the clock is ticking and the pressure is real.
What is a Tabletop Exercise, really?
It’s a simulated cyber crisis—no flashing screens, no real breaches, just a structured scenario. Your team walks through a realistic attack step-by-step. Who speaks up first? Who hesitates? What gets missed?
It’s a dry run for the day you hope never comes. And it can reveal gaps that no audit ever will.
You Learn More from Stress than from Silence
On an ordinary day, roles are clear and routines run smoothly. But during a breach, the pace changes. So do the stakes. And that’s when the breakdowns happen.
A tabletop can show you:
- Who doesn’t understand their role
- Which steps in the plan are too vague
- Where communication bottlenecks exist
- How quickly decisions are made—and by whom
- What gets left out entirely
These aren't flaws, they’re opportunities. You can’t improve what you can’t see.
It’s about more than IT
When a cyber event hits, it doesn’t stay in the server room. It affects legal, HR, marketing, and leadership. Everyone plays a part.
A good tabletop brings those players together. It exposes the overlap. The friction. The forgotten links in the chain. And when people see how their role fits into the bigger picture, they take ownership.
Conclusion
A tabletop isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a wake-up call. A pressure test. A conversation starter.
And the insights you get from just one session? They could be the difference between panic and precision when it really counts.
Think your team’s ready for a cyberattack? Don’t wait to find out the hard way.
A tabletop exercise shows you how your team responds under pressure. At KRS IT Consulting, we help you run through scenarios to spot gaps and get everyone aligned. Call 973-657-2356 or click here to set up your free consultation.
Let’s make sure your plan works when you need it most.