AUSCERT launches new service for cyber incident readiness

AUSCERT has announced the launch of a new Tabletop Exercise Service designed to assist organisations in testing their preparedness for managing and responding to diverse incidents.

AUSCERT, an Australian computer emergency response team and one of the oldest in the world, introduced this service to enable organisations of all sizes to focus on critical facets of cyber incident response, business continuity, and crisis management.

General Manager Dr Ivano Bongiovanni highlighted the unique aspects of the new service: "Effective incident response is about more than having a playbook. Custom-designed TTXs meet the specific objectives and requirements of businesses of all sizes. Participants from the entire business all have a key role to play in the exercises."

"We engage operational staff, cybersecurity professionals, IT leaders, marketing and communication teams, and middle and senior executives. The diversity in participation ensures a comprehensive understanding of how different roles interact, the responsibilities and how to coordinate a cohesive and swift organisational wide response during an incident," Dr Bongiovanni says.

The exercises, guided by AUSCERT's skilled facilitators, aim to prompt participants to deliberate on various aspects such as roles, responsibilities, coordination, and decision-making processes. As the exercises are discussion-based, they do not necessitate the deployment of equipment or resources, accentuating the importance of collaboration and open discussion to refine strategies.

The TTXs offer organisations a chance to test and validate their playbooks, engage with their teams, comprehend the significance of coordination and stakeholder management, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Dr Bongiovanni further elaborates, "During the high stakes of a real-world incident, making the best decisions requires planning and practice. TTXs enable participants to develop the muscle memory they need so they can respond to difficult situations from a position of experience and with the confidence of having planned and tested responses."

This service aims to be widely accessible across Australia and is tailored to benefit organisations of varying sizes. Dr Bongiovanni notes that AUSCERT, as a not-for-profit entity, ensures that smaller organisations can also access this expertise, which might have previously been financially out of reach.