You’re Not Ready for a Cyber Incident (But You Could Be)
Most organizations think they’re prepared for a cyber incident. They have a plan. They’ve got the right tools. Maybe they even did a tabletop exercise once. But when an actual breach happens, that confidence can disappear in minutes.
Why? Because preparation isn’t about documentation. It’s about execution under pressure.
At Echelon Risk + Cyber, we work with organizations of all sizes and industries to help them prepare for the real thing. And we’ve seen the same patterns - overconfidence, misaligned roles, outdated processes - repeat over and over again. Here's what real readiness looks like.
Your Incident Response Plan Is Only as Good as Your Last Test
If you haven’t tested your IR plan in the last six months, it’s stale. Roles change. Vendors change. Your tech stack changes. And the threat landscape never stops evolving.
A printed PDF won’t help you when time is ticking, your email is down, and your board wants answers.
“You don’t want the first time you walk through your incident response plan to be during a breach.”
— Josh Fleming, Senior Manager, Risk Advisory + GRC
Tabletop Exercises Aren’t Optional Anymore
A good tabletop doesn’t just simulate chaos - it reveals your blind spots. Who’s in charge of customer comms? What if your primary contact can’t be reached? Does Legal know their role? Who calls the shots when every second counts?
This is where theory meets reality.
And it’s not just for technical teams. Your IR exercises should include leadership, legal, HR, marketing - anyone who has a role in managing the fallout.
Cyber Incidents Are Business Risks, Not IT Problems
An attack doesn’t just take down servers. It disrupts revenue, erodes customer trust, and creates legal and reputational risks that can take years to fix.
That’s why response planning has to be owned by the business - not just the SOC.
If your board isn’t involved in these conversations, they should be. And if your leadership team doesn’t know their role in an incident, they’re not ready.
IR Readiness Is a Lifecycle
Incident response isn’t a project you complete. It’s a practice you build.
Your plan should evolve after every test. Every industry alert. Every breach in your sector. Postmortems aren’t just for cleaning up - they’re for leveling up.
Ready to Strengthen Your Response?
At Echelon, we help organizations turn incident response from a static document into a living, tested capability. Through customized tabletop exercises, detailed playbooks, and strategic planning sessions, we prepare your team to lead under pressure - because when a breach hits, there’s no time to guess.
Learn more about our Incident Response Planning & Tabletop Exercise services.
Take the First Step Toward Real Resilience
Watch the on-demand webinar for expert insight on what true incident response preparation looks like - and how to start building it now.