Looking to strengthen your organization's cyber defenses through practical training? Tabletop exercises provide hands-on experience dealing with cyber threats in a controlled environment. Here are 10 real-world tabletop exercise cybersecurity examples you can use to build more engaging and effective cybersecurity simulations.
Hotel System Outage Response
The recent Omni Hotels & Resorts incident, where a company-wide IT outage disrupted everything from reservations to digital key systems, offers rich material for a tabletop scenario. This exercise helps teams practice responding to widespread system failures affecting customer-facing services. Key simulation elements include managing guest communications, implementing backup processes, and coordinating across multiple properties.
Water Infrastructure Protection
Based on documented cyberattacks targeting U.S. water systems, this scenario tests readiness for critical infrastructure threats. Teams work through detecting unusual SCADA system behavior, containing compromised industrial control systems, and managing public safety concerns. The exercise particularly benefits utilities and municipal organizations responsible for protecting essential services.
Email Thread Hijacking Defense
Drawing from a documented case where attackers compromised a journalist's email account, this simulation focuses on preventing social engineering attacks. Participants practice identifying compromised accounts, blocking malicious domains, and managing potential data breaches. The scenario works well for organizations heavily reliant on email communications.
StrelaStealer Malware Response
This exercise, inspired by a phishing campaign that impacted over 100 organizations, helps teams prepare for sophisticated malware threats. The simulation covers detecting suspicious attachments, analyzing malware behavior, and preventing lateral movement across networks. It's particularly relevant for IT security teams protecting against evolving phishing tactics.
WordPress Security Incident
Based on the Sign1 malware campaign that compromised 39,000 WordPress sites, this scenario tests website security measures. Teams practice identifying malicious JavaScript injections, cleaning infected systems, and preventing reinfection through vulnerable plugins. The exercise benefits web development and security teams managing content management systems.
Antivirus Service Compromise
This simulation draws from a real incident where attackers exploited an antivirus service's update mechanism. It helps organizations test their supply chain security controls and incident response procedures. The exercise emphasizes the importance of validating security tool integrity and managing vendor risks.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect Attack
Remote access tools present unique security challenges, as demonstrated by the ConnectWise ScreenConnect incidents. This tabletop scenario helps teams practice detecting unauthorized access, containing malware spread through support tools, and securing remote management systems. It's especially relevant for managed service providers and IT support teams.
LLM Package Hallucination Attack
Modern threats include AI-related risks, like the recent case of language models recommending nonexistent code libraries. This exercise helps development teams prepare for supply chain attacks targeting AI-assisted coding workflows. It emphasizes secure development practices and third-party package validation.
Email Bombing Incident
This scenario simulates a denial-of-service attack through mass email campaigns. Teams practice identifying unusual email patterns, implementing filtering controls, and maintaining business communications during an attack. The exercise works well for organizations dependent on email systems.
Cut & Paste Malware Defense
Social engineering continues evolving, as shown by recent attacks tricking users into copying malicious PowerShell commands. This tabletop exercise helps teams practice detecting suspicious scripts, containing endpoint compromises, and improving user awareness training.
Implementing Effective Exercises
When running these scenarios, focus on:
- Starting with clear objectives aligned to your organization's risks
- Involving key stakeholders from IT, security, and business teams
- Using realistic injects to test different aspects of your response
- Documenting lessons learned and updating security controls
- Measuring improvement through regular practice sessions
Regular tabletop exercises build organizational muscle memory for handling real incidents. By practicing with scenarios based on actual attacks, teams develop practical experience managing evolving cyber threats. Consider your organization's specific risks when selecting and adapting these examples for your security training program.
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Regular practice through tabletop exercises is crucial for improving your organization's resilience against emerging threats like the cut-and-paste malware campaign covered in this article.
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