Most Relevant Cybersecurity Table Top Exercise Scenarios

A Plan Alone Won’t Protect You From a Cyber Incident

If an organization wants to be ready for a cyber incident, good documentation and response plans alone are not enough. What truly matters is how well people react in real situations, how they share information, and how effectively they use available resources. That’s why cybersecurity table top exercises are a key part of building a strong cybersecurity posture.

A table top exercise is a structured discussion where key people such as leadership, IT, communications, legal, data protection officers, and others simulate a realistic incident and make decisions to handle it. It’s not about testing technology but about practicing leadership, coordination and teamwork. A strong and relevant scenario is at the heart of every successful exercise. Below are six of the most useful cybersecurity table top exercise scenarios that help organizations prepare for common and potentially high-impact incidents.

Ransomware Attack

One morning, the organization discovers that all its files have been encrypted and operations have come to a stop. The only message on screen reads: “Your data is locked. Pay 5 bitcoins to get it back.”

Things get even more complicated if this happens during a particularly inconvenient time, such as the Christmas holiday, summer vacation or in the middle of the night on a weekend. Who is available at that moment? Who has the authority to make decisions? Is there a crisis team in place that can respond outside of working hours?

This scenario helps assess:

• how quickly the incident is detected and the right people are involved
• whether backup strategies allow the systems to be restored without paying the ransom
• how decision-making works when information is unclear and time is limited
• how communication is handled with staff and clients when business operations are halted

This type of cybersecurity tabletop exercise scenario is relevant for organizations of all sizes, because when it comes to ransomware, the question is not if it happens – it’s when.

Data Leak from a Cloud Service

The organization receives an alert that personal data or business secrets stored in a cloud database have leaked and are now freely accessible on the dark web. Questions start coming in from clients, the media picks up the story and the national data protection authority demands an explanation.

This scenario focuses on:

• first response and internal notifications to key decision-makers
• preparing a regulatory notice that meets the required reporting timeline
• communicating with the public in a way that restores trust rather than causes further damage
• planning next steps to limit the impact and inform affected clients

This cybersecurity tabletop exercise scenario helps organizations understand that a data breach is first and foremost a trust crisis, not just a technical failure.

Insider Threat

Not all cyber threats come from outside. This scenario focuses on a situation where a current or former employee (whose access has not been properly revoked) is found collecting or sharing sensitive data, whether out of malice, ignorance or personal interest.

This tabletop exercise helps evaluate:

• what detection mechanisms exist to identify this kind of behavior early
• how collaboration works between HR, legal and data protection roles
• how leadership manages trust recovery and potential legal consequences
• whether the organization has clear internal policies and an ethical framework that staff understand and follow

This cybersecurity table top exercise scenario supports stronger internal transparency and oversight.

DDoS Attack against a Public-Facing Service

A public-facing web service managed by the organization that is used daily by employees, clients, or partners suddenly becomes unreachable. Investigation reveals a large-scale Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack that has brought the system down.

This scenario helps assess:

• coordination between the internal IT team and service providers, especially the internet service provider (ISP)
• how quickly the service can be restored or an alternative solution activated
• communication with clients who may not understand the technical side, but want clarity and reassurance
• the organization’s approach to restoring public confidence and reputation

This type of cybersecurity table top exercise scenario is especially important for organizations whose digital services are critical to society.

Detection of a Zero-Day Exploit

The organization’s security team learns that a critical software component in use contains a previously unknown vulnerability that is already being exploited in the wild. Cybersecurity networks, including CERTs and software vendors, issue warnings about an active zero-day exploit. There is no official patch yet, and it’s unclear whether the organization has already been targeted but the risk is serious and time is limited.

This scenario allows the organization to practice:

• making rapid decisions about whether to temporarily shut down services
• collaborating with CERT teams, vendors and internal security experts
• assessing risk when little concrete information is available
• proactively communicating with clients and partners

This cybersecurity table top exercise scenario is particularly relevant for organizations that rely heavily on third-party software and platforms, where vulnerabilities may be out of their direct control.

Combined Cybersecurity Table Top Exercise Scenario

This advanced scenario combines multiple incidents into one complex crisis. It begins with a zero-day exploit used to breach the company’s systems. This leads to a ransomware attack that halts business operations. At the same time, it is discovered that attackers have stolen sensitive client data. Finally, the organization is hit with a DDoS attack, making it nearly impossible to deliver updates to clients or coordinate with partners.

The value of this scenario lies in the fact that:

• it covers technical, operational, and strategic levels of response
• it provides a realistic test of escalation management
• it allows teams to practice working in parallel across different areas of responsibility: IT, legal, communications, leadership

This cybersecurity table top exercise scenario is best suited for organizations that have already completed simpler exercises and want to challenge themselves further.

How to Choose and Adapt a Scenario?

The real value of a cybersecurity table top exercise scenario depends on how well the scenario reflects the organization’s real-life context and risks. When choosing a scenario, consider the following:

• the size and maturity level of the organization
• the industry and regulatory environment
• the learning objective — are you testing decision-making, coordination, crisis communication or technical response?
• existing weaknesses or past incidents

It is also strongly recommended to involve multiple departments in preparing the scenario. The more realistic and relatable the scenario is, the more valuable the exercise will be.