I recently had the pleasure of attending a unique and highly engaging cyber drill in the heart of London, right next to the iconic Tower of London and Tower Bridge. These landmarks always leave me in awe, even though I was born and brought up in London.

The event was attended by a combination of industry leaders, and even those early in their cyber journey. We took part in a dynamic crisis simulation and an intense technical exercise using the Immersive online platform.

Mirroring real-world challenges

First, we were presented with a realistic scenario covering a major cybersecurity incident at a fictional organisation. The cyber drill encouraged attendees to collaborate and decide on the best course of action through several interactive scenes.

These interactive exercises closely mirrored the challenges and discussions we see during real-world incidents, accurately capturing the importance of involving necessary stakeholders and making timely but effective decisions. 

They also reflected the intense pressure of making informed decisions that could have severe consequences for the wider organisation.

Testing technical abilities 

A highlight of this cyber drill, however, was the addition of a technical exercise. When I say technical, I mean technical!

There was nothing toned down in this exercise. Attendees were given an opportunity to really get their hands dirty and use the impressive lab environments found on the Immersive platform, all specifically tailored for this cyber drill. This was as close as it could get to a technical cyber response exercise, but in a safe and friendly environment.

I found myself analysing Splunk logs, threat hunting, and even decrypting data (or trying to at least) to find the underlying cause of this incident and aid my colleagues taking part in the wider crisis simulation. 

The technical exercise further highlighted the importance of continuous development and training within cybersecurity. My technical abilities were genuinely tested, and I loved “learning by doing”. It was also a pleasure to see peers who were tackling these technical challenges for the first time – something made less daunting by the intuitive Immersive platform.

I was also reminded of the importance of seeing the bigger picture during these incidents. While focusing on the technical challenges was a lot of fun, it was even more enjoyable to see how obtaining critical data could inform the wider decision-making processes. 

The value of in-person engagements 

During the event, I found myself asking: could this cyber drill have taken place virtually?

The answer was yes, of course it could. I’ve attended many virtual events and found them particularly useful and convenient. 

But would a virtual event have been as interactive and insightful as this was? Definitely not!

Ever since the COVID pandemic took over our lives in 2020, we’ve gotten used to the remote way of life. It’s so convenient to jump onto remote calls from various parts of the world, but there always seems to be something missing.

This event reminded me why in-person engagements have that special spark that remote events don’t. Whether it’s the informal chat over tea and sandwiches or the initial introduction at your table, these small human interactions are priceless and add more depth to our learning experiences than we may appreciate.

I found that once you take away the titles or certifications, we’re all people united by a shared purpose of protecting those around us, be they at work or at home. 

Knowledge sharing and collaboration

I met with industry leaders and cyber professionals, all facing remarkably similar challenges in their own sectors. It was a good reminder that we’re never alone in the world of cyber. 

There are colleagues out there who demonstrate cyber resilience daily and bring their own unique method to the madness. I thoroughly enjoyed knowledge sharing and collaborating with these other professionals – their fresh perspectives and external views were extremely insightful. 

The threats we face in cybersecurity are similar across different industries, but it’s the wider consequences that seem to differ. Colleagues from other sectors were open to sharing their knowledge and expertise with the audience.

This cyber drill was a great reminder about the value of teamwork in cybersecurity. We all play an important role, be it technical or not. In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, there's something for everyone, and I look forward to the next event!