Failing to prepare for a cyber incident proves disastrous for many businesses. But proactive preventative work doesn't have to be demanding. Incident response plans are an easy way to build in a level of readiness and ultimately mitigate the effect of attacks. But in the context of ever-changing threats, systems and staff, organisations often struggle to ensure that their incident response plans remain well-understood and relevant, and that response goes smoothly when an incident occurs.

At a time when cyber insurance providers are increasingly demanding that customers demonstrate an adequate level of preparation, regular tabletop exercises should be seen as a critical component of effective security planning.