On March 9, CCRC provided a cyber boost session at FocusPlaza for a group of retail entrepreneurs. The session opened with a presentation by a security colleague where participants were introduced to the world of cybersecurity and all that it entails.
In addition to addressing the risks and the impact of those risks, various measures were discussed:
- Preventive Measures
- Detective Measures
- Corrective Measures
Afterwards, the group of participants was asked to put this into practice in a cyber boost session with Kelvin Rorive from CCRC.
A cyber boost session is an interactive exercise where participants must manage a fictional but realistic cyberattack. There were two teams with a CCRC expert, and in three rounds, these teams faced the challenge of managing the cyber crisis. Just as in a real cyber attack, there is only limited time to reach certain conclusions or actions; this time pressure during the cyber boost session makes it even more realistic because in reality, you always need to act quickly.
First Round - Taking Action with Limited Information
In the first round, certain facts were revealed that made it clear something was really happening, but there was still no clue about what the actual problem was. This often happens in practice too, and what do you do then? Wait or actively prepare some things? In this round, three actions were defined that both teams felt needed to be addressed.
Second Round - There Is an Impact on the Supply Chain
At this point, more became clear about the crisis, and the participants realized that the supply chain suddenly also played an important role in handling the cyber attack. There was also much discussion about what exactly needed to be done, and three follow-up actions were jointly defined.
Third Round - How Will This End?
In the final round, it became clear that the cyber crisis was becoming unmanageably large. The participants were asked to think about how this would end. Opinions varied greatly, but that’s exactly what makes a cyber boost session valuable: the mutual debate and inspiring each other in taking measures. The boost session also provided valuable insights for the entrepreneurs that they might need to implement within their own organizations.
All in all, it was a very successful day where all entrepreneurs went home with a bit more experience about what’s involved in a cyber crisis. The follow-up for these entrepreneurs is that they can participate in a full-fledged cyber exercise session with participants from different sectors at CCRC, where once again a realistic crisis is simulated to be better prepared for a potential real crisis.