“Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT problem. It’s an organizational responsibility.”
Amar Singh, CIO/CISO, St. Clair College.
And if there’s one thing Operation Defend the North reinforced, it’s that preparation matters.
For the first time, Operation Defend the North made its way to Windsor! Hosted by St. Clair College at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts, siberX brought an immersive, real-time cyber incident simulation to our region, and Windsor certainly showed up!
With the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel at the centre of a fictional cyber incident, the exercise challenges participants to navigate a rapidly evolving situation involving critical cross-border infrastructure, operational disruptions, public safety considerations, and the complex decisions that follow.
“Everyone should have their business continuity playbooks but also be ready to pivot when things change.” – Tal Czudner, CEO, Windsor-Detroit Borderlink Limited.
From leadership and technical response to stakeholder coordination and public communications, the simulation offered a glimpse into just how quickly a cyber incident can become something much bigger than an IT issue.
Hundreds of participants came together for the experience, which featured a powerhouse panel of senior leaders from across our region, representing public safety, municipal government, education, finance and more. Each brought a unique perspective to the challenges organizations face when decisions need to be made under pressure, often with incomplete information.
Connecting Windsor-Essex (CWE) was proud to partner and sponsor this important event, one we hope is only the beginning of more opportunities like it in our region.
Cyber Resilience Goes Beyond Technology
Strengthening our region’s cybersecurity posture is a key priority for CWE, and an important part of that work is helping organizations prepare for the unexpected.
One area we’ve been particularly focused on is business continuity planning (BCP) and the value of tabletop exercises in helping organizations test, practice and strengthen their response.
Technical incident response is critical. Having the right tools, processes, and playbooks in place matters. But what happens to the rest of the organization when something goes wrong?
Who makes the decisions? Who communicates with employees, customers, and stakeholders? How do operations continue? And what happens when the information you need isn’t available, or the situation changes faster than you can respond?
Audience members look on as members of the panel respond on the fly to a dynamic cybersecurity simulation.
That’s Where Preparation Meets Reality
Operation Defend the North brought those challenges to life. And as we saw, responding to an incident isn’t always neat and orderly. Decisions can be difficult, information can be incomplete, communication can break down and priorities can shift in an instant.
That’s exactly why we practice!
Communication is More Than Just Getting the Message Out
CWE’s CEO, Joanne Soave, participated as an advisory member in the exercise offering insight into the decisions, considerations and coordination behind the communications and messaging that organizaitons ultimately deliver.
Because communication during a crisis isn’t simply about issuing a statement. It’s about understanding who needs information, what can be validated, when it should be shared, and how decisions made across leadership teams affect the people and organizations relying on that information.
“You can have the best technical response plan in the world, but if your leadership team doesn’t know who’s making decisions, who’s communicating what, or how the rest of the organization is going to keep moving, you’ve got a problem. Communication can’t be something we figure out in the middle of a crisis. We need to practice those conversations, challenge our assumptions and work across teams before we’re under pressure. That’s how we built confidence, trust, and resilience.” – Joanne Soave, CEO, Connecting Windsor-Essex.
Tabletop exercise gives organizations the opportunity to identify gaps, strengthen coordination and build confidence before they’re faced with the real thing. And the more we practice, the better prepared we are to adapt, pivot and keep moving when it matters most.
Why Windsor? Why Not!
With our unique cross-border position, critical infrastructure and incredibly interconnected business community, Windsor-Essex has every reason to be part of these important conversations. A huge thank you to St. Clair College, siberX, our fellow partners, sponsors and everyone who helped make this event possible. This is only just the beginning!
Let’s Put That Preparation into Practice!
For CWE members, the learning doesn’t stop here! Our unique member offerings including Business Continuity Planning workshops and customized tabletop experiences to help organizations test their plans, strengthen communication, and build resilience.
Because the middle of a cyber incident is NOT the time to discover your plan needs work!
Interested in learning more or booking a session? Contact the CWE team at marketing (at) cw-e.ca to explore what’s available to members.
Connecting Windsor-Essex is a non-profit organization helping teams across the region connect, secure and innovate. Find out how CWE strengthens IT teams by learning more about membership today.
