London, UK – 5 December 2023 – STORM Guidance, a leading provider of cyber incident response and cyber risk management services, today announced that it is proud to be among the first Cyber Incident Exercising (CIE) Assured Service Providers (ASP) under the new UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) industry assurance scheme.
The NCSC CIE scheme aims to improve the resilience of UK organisations to cyber-attacks by helping them to test their cyber incident response plans and identify and address any gaps.
STORM demonstrates its commitment and expertise in designing and delivering high-quality cyber incident exercises by becoming one of the first to be assured as an NCSC provider of CIE services.
STORM’s Cyber Incident Exercising services are based on many years of experience and in adherence to the NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising (CIE) Technical Standard, providing a framework for organisations to develop and implement effective cyber incident response plans.
Sessions led by STORM’s consultants are based on realistic scenarios that are tailored to the specific needs of each client. Exercises involve all levels of the client’s organisation, from the board of directors to front line staff, ensuring that the client’s cyber incident response plan is effective, that all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities, and are confident in handling cyber incidents of all types and varying impacts.
STORM’s CIE services include:
Tabletop exercises: A variety of simulated cyber incidents allowing organisations to test their response plans in a controlled environment. These discussion-based sessions bring together relevant teams to address their roles and responsibilities, expected activities, and key decision points for effective incident response.
Live-play exercises: These simulated cyber incidents are tailored scenarios that allow organisations to test their cyber incident response plans with significant realism. Team members execute their regular roles and responsibilities in response to controlled injects that develop a given cyber incident scenario to challenge participants with activities and decisions made in close-to-real-time.
After-action reviews: Post-exercise reviews asses an organisation’s responses and detail areas for improvement. Findings are discussed with the responders and illustrate gaps and opportunities for improvement in response plans, the effectiveness of cyber security controls, team coordination and communications, and their management of risk and responsibilities in the event of an incident.
“We are delighted to be one of the first NCSC Cyber Incident Exercising Assured Service Providers,” said Neil Hare-Brown, CEO of STORM Guidance. Cyber incident exercising is an essential part of any good cyber security strategy, and our CIE services help organisations to test their response plans and identify areas where they can improve.” With decades of experience in cyber incident investigations, STORM deliver cyber incident exercise workshops to a range of organisations each year, helping them to optimise their strategies and operational processes to deal with cyber incidents effectively.
"STORM's Cyber Incident Exercises have assisted our team with understanding the strategic and operational considerations and enabled us to fine tune our cyber incident response plans."
Mark Sanderson
Legal Director & Company Secretary - Severfield plc
About the NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising Scheme
The NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising scheme provides a controlled, scenario-based opportunity for organisations to practice, evaluate and improve their cyber incident response plans in a safe environment. The scheme enables organisations who already have cyber incident response plans in place, to assess their maturity and existing cyber incident response plans through tailored exercises carried out by Assured Service Providers, such as STORM Guidance. The scheme is open to UK organisations of all sizes and sectors.
Speaking of the new scheme, NCSC Director of Operations Paul Chichester said:
“I’ve often said the first time you try out your cyber incident response plan shouldn’t be on the day you are attacked. So if you do only one thing on a regular basis, incident exercising should be it. That’s why I’m delighted that the NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising scheme is now open and buyers can use it to find trusted providers that can help you prepare for when the worst happens. Exercising in a safe and supportive environment will allow all the relevant teams and individuals to properly understand their roles and maximise their effectiveness during an incident. In turn this will help to minimise harm and improve the resilience of both individual organisations and the UK as a whole.”
About the NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising Technical Standard
The NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising Technical Standard provides a framework for organisations to develop and implement effective cyber incident exercises. CIE Assured Service Providers will be evaluated against the ‘Design, Develop, Conduct and Evaluate’ life cycle of exercise delivery, as defined by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in their ‘Guide to Test, Training, and Exercise Programs for IT Plans and Capabilities’ document.
For more information about STORM Guidance and its Cyber Incident Exercising services, please visit https://www.stormguidance.com/cyber-incident-response-exercise.
About STORM Guidance
STORM Guidance is a leading provider of cyber incident response and cyber risk management services. An acronym for Strategic, Tactical and Operational Risk Management, STORM helps organisations improve their cyber security posture and respond effectively to cyber-attacks. Founded in 2014, the firm has locations across the globe, with offices in the UK, the U.S., Mauritius, and India.
STORM’s seven key services – CIE; Cyber3; CyberProfiler; CyberDecider; ReSecure; CyberSeven; and CyberCare - provide seamless support across the entire cyber risk management spectrum, offering clarity on information risks, planning for the management of cyber incidents, and comprehensive response services to both investigate and recover in the event of an attack.
(t) 020 3983 2054