Exercise Planning and Conduct Support Services

To assist stakeholders in examining their cybersecurity and physical security plans and capabilities, CISA provides end-to-end exercise planning and conduct support, including:

• planning meetings,
• document and scenario development,
• facilitation, and
• after-action report development. 

Example Exercise Scenarios

Infrastructure Security

• Active Shooter
• Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack
• Vehicle Ramming
• Improvised Explosive Device (IED)

Cybersecurity

• Phishing
• Ransomware
• Loss of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
• Industrial Control Systems Compromise

Types of Exercises

CISA Exercises range from small-scale, limited-scope, discussion-based exercises (e.g., two-hour seminars) to large-scale, internationally scoped, operations-based exercises (e.g., multi-day, full-scale exercises).

Discussion-Based Exercises

• Seminar
  • Used to orient or promulgate a new or changing plan, procedure, or guideline.
    • Planning timeline: 1-2 months
• Workshop
  • Designed to develop a new plan or procedure.
    • Planning timeline: 1-2 months
• Tabletop
  • Employed to validate or enhance understanding of plans and procedures, rehearse concepts, assess incident response and recovery needs, and identify strengths and areas of improvement.
    • Planning timeline: 3-4 months
• Game
  • Designed to explore the consequences of decisions, and validate plans, procedures, or resource requirements.
    • Planning timeline: 3-4 months

Operation-Based Exercises

• Drill
  • Used to provide training on new equipment, validate procedures, or practice and maintain current skills.
    • Planning Timeline: 3-6 months
• Functional
  • Employed to test plans, policies, procedures, and staff members involved in management, direction, command, or control functions.
    • Planning Timeline: 6-12 months
• Full-Scale
  • Designed to simulate reality by presenting complex and realistic problems that require critical thinking, rapid problem solving, and effective responses by trained personnel, thereby testing and validating many facets of planning and preparedness.
    • Planning timeline: 12-24 months 

CISA Exercises uses the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) methodology to design, develop, conduct, and evaluate exercises. HSEEP uses a common methodology across all mission areas to ensure maximum integration with all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and external stakeholders.