Cyber Attack Simulation Exercises
A realistic cyber incident simulation that tests executive decision-making and organisational control under pressure.
Overview
When a serious cyber incident unfolds, leadership is forced to act with incomplete information, competing priorities and limited time. Authority, escalation and coordination are tested in ways that plans and policies cannot predict.
Crisis Simulation Exercises recreate these conditions in a controlled environment. They simulate the pace and pressure of a real incident without impacting live systems, allowing organisations to see how decisions are made, how teams coordinate and where control holds or breaks.
The purpose is not training for its own sake. It is to expose how the organisation actually functions during a crisis and convert that insight into concrete improvements before a real incident forces the lesson.
Cyber security outcomes we deliver
Known failure points before a real incident
Leadership gains clear visibility of where decision-making, escalation or coordination fails under pressure, allowing weaknesses to be addressed using our response assessment before they cause damage during a live event.
Proven decision paths under time pressure
Decision routes are exercised in realistic conditions, showing exactly where authority is clear, where it is ambiguous and where delay increases organisational exposure.
Reduced risk of incident drift
The organisation is less likely to lose control during a live incident due to stalled decisions, conflicting actions or parallel responses that increase secondary impact.
Controlled executive involvement
Leadership engagement is tested and calibrated, clarifying when executives need to intervene, what information they require and how their actions influence containment and communication.
Predictable crisis governance
Escalation, oversight and accountability mechanisms operate under pressure, giving boards confidence that crisis governance functions when information is incomplete and fast-moving.
Defensible incident preparedness
The organisation can demonstrate that its crisis response approach has been tested, weaknesses identified and corrective actions prioritised, supporting board assurance, regulatory scrutiny and insurance discussions.
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Benefits to your organisation
Clear runbooks
Response plans are tested against real conditions, making gaps, unclear steps and outdated assumptions visible before they slow a real response.
Reliable workflows
Day-to-day response processes and handovers are exercised under time pressure, reducing friction that delays containment and recovery.
Focused signals
Teams see which alerts and inputs actually drive action during a crisis, helping reduce noise and wasted effort. The simulation tests whether your Managed Detection and Response capabilities translate into timely decisions when pressure hits
Ready channels
Communication routes and documentation methods are used under pressure, confirming they work when they are needed most.
Aligned teams
Technical and corporate teams gain a shared understanding of how their actions affect others during an incident, improving coordination.
Consistent records
Incident notes, timelines and decisions are captured throughout the exercise, improving post-incident review, audit and reporting.
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Be ready when the pressure hits.
One realistic simulation exposes the gaps a real incident would exploit.
How it works
A Crisis Simulation is delivered as a structured, facilitator-led exercise that mirrors how a real cyber incident unfolds over time.
Build the scenario
We create a realistic incident scenario based on your organisation, the systems you rely on and the threats most likely to affect you.
Prepare the teams
We confirm participants, roles and communication methods so the exercise reflects real working conditions and responsibilities.
Run the simulation
We guide teams through a fast-moving incident where new information appears throughout the day and decisions must be made quickly.
Observe what happens
We observe how teams communicate, escalate and coordinate, identifying what works well and where delays or confusion arise.
Review and improve
We deliver a clear report outlining what we observed and the priority actions required to strengthen crisis handling.
We Work With
Why Reliance Cyber?
Reliance Cyber is a UK-based cyber security operations specialist with deep experience supporting organisations before, during and after serious cyber incidents.
Crisis Simulations are designed and delivered by practitioners who understand how real incidents unfold under pressure. The focus is on practical insight, clear feedback and actions that can be implemented, not generic exercises or theoretical advice.
Each engagement is tailored to the organisation taking part and produces outputs that leadership teams can act on with confidence.
Certifications
Crisis Attack Simulation Exercises FAQs
Q: What is a Crisis Simulation Exercise?
A realistic exercise that simulates the pace and pressure of a serious cyber incident to test decision-making, escalation and coordination.
Q: Does this affect live systems?
No. All scenarios are simulated and do not touch production environments.
Q: Who should take part?
Executive leadership, IT, security, legal, HR, communications and anyone involved in managing incidents.
Q: What do we receive afterwards?
A clear report outlining observations and priority actions to improve crisis response.
Prepare. Prevent.
Detect. Respond.
Speak to our team today and strengthen your crisis readiness.
