What are cyber drills and outcome-based programs?

Cyber drills vs. outcome-based programs

The key difference is that cyber drills test and prove preparedness and expose improvement areas; outcome-based programs address the improvement areas and enhance an organization’s ability to detect, respond, and recover from cyber threats. Combined, these approaches provide sustainable, robust cyber resilience.

Designing an effective outcome-based program

To implement an outcome-based program successfully, organizations must consider the following factors:

1. Understanding business objectives and risk tolerance

Before designing a program, it’s crucial to understand:

• Business goals – what is the organization trying to achieve?
• Risk appetite – how much risk is the company willing to take?
• Regulatory requirements – what compliance standards must be met?

2. Defining measurable outcomes

Success should be based on quantifiable improvements, such as:

• Reduced incident response time
• Fewer security breaches
• Improved threat detection capabilities
• More substantial alignment with regulatory requirements

3. Tailoring the program to the organization

Organizations are unique, and outcome-based programs must be customized to fit:

• Risk assessment results
• Threat landscape
• Technology stack and processes
• Security team capabilities

4. Implementing and monitoring progress

A phased approach ensures better adoption:

• Pilot phase – test the program with a small team before full deployment
• Phased rollout – implement step-by-step to ensure success
• Continuous reporting – regularly track metrics and adjust the program as needed

5. Demonstrating ROI and business value

To gain leadership buy-in, organizations must:

• Showcase case studies of successful implementations
• Use data-driven insights to highlight improvements
• Demonstrate long-term value beyond compliance

Example: A multi-year cybersecurity resilience program

A well-structured outcome-based program can span multiple years, evolving as threats change.

Year 1 – Conduct cyber drills, crisis and incident response exercises and assessments, and document response plans. Develop improvement plans and program scope.

Year 2 – Technical and executive training, incident handling exercises.

Year 3 – Advanced cybersecurity drills, scenario-based threat modeling, multi-team exercising. Process and policy stress testing.

Year 4 – Purple teaming, improving collaboration between defense and offense teams.

Year 5 – Full-scale red teaming and supply chain cyber drills.

This approach ensures that organizations continuously prove and improve rather than just react to incidents.

Final thoughts: 

The future of cybersecurity training

Moving from traditional cybersecurity upskilling to cyber drills and outcome-based programs requires:

• A shift in mindset – focus on long-term resilience, not just one-time testing.
• Cross-department collaboration – security is not just IT’s responsibility; leadership buy-in is crucial.
• Expertise in design and delivery – outcome-based programs must be well-structured and measurable.

By embracing cyber drills and outcome-based cybersecurity training programs, organizations can stay ahead of threats and build a stronger, lasting security culture.

Share your thoughts

Is your organization ready to move beyond traditional cyber upskilling? Where do you feel the biggest challenge lies, out of the three points mentioned above? Have you had success in overcoming these challenges? If so, share how with the community. Let’s build a cybersecurity strategy that delivers accurate, measurable results.