Incident Response Tabletop Exercise Case Study

This case study details a tabletop exercise conducted for a private university in the Northeast, aimed at enhancing its cybersecurity incident response capabilities. The university's new chief information security officer recognized the need for effective testing of their response procedures and sought an independent partner to facilitate this exercise. The objectives included training faculty and staff, analyzing the university's coordination and response abilities, and ensuring compliance with cyber insurance requirements. Avalon facilitated the exercise by creating scenarios that engaged participants from various departments, encouraging discussion and decision-making related to incident management. The results highlighted both strengths and weaknesses in the university's current plans, allowing for necessary updates to improve future incident handling. Participants gained a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities, contributing to a more mature incident response program. This exercise also positioned the university to demonstrate its preparedness to leadership and regulatory bodies.