iNetwork, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), and Emergency Planning College (EPC) are working with the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) to help local service providers to recognise the seriousness of the cyber challenge and help local service providers become more cyber secure and resilient. To accomplish this, the “Think Cyber Think Resilience” Cyber Pathfinder Training Scheme provides free-of-charge exercises and training for Technical Officers and Senior Executives from Local Authorities, Local Resilience Forums, and other Public Sector partner organisations across England.

The Cyber Pathfinder Exercise has been developed with significant inputs from the National Cyber Security Centre and the Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies Secretariat. It is designed to support the objectives of the National Cyber Security Programme – which is responsible for the delivery of the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy.

The exercise will help participants to think about the impact of cyber incidents on their organisational plans for multi-agency working under the Civil Contingencies Act. It will help them understand cyber related issues so that, working with their resilience partners, they can review existing emergency planning and develop effective multi-agency emergency planning for cyber related incidents.

The desktop exercise format builds on existing planning for managing civil emergencies while exploring the different impacts and requirements of cyber related issues for organisations that are increasingly interconnected and reliant on immediate access to critical data, IT systems and modern communications.

Who should attend?

Senior Leaders, Policy Makers and Practitioners from English Local Authorities, Local Resilience Forums, and other Public Sector partner organisations responsible for:

• Policy or Strategic Management
• Cyber Resilience or Security
• Information Assurance
• Data Management and GDPR/NIS
• Democratic and Electoral Services
• Business Continuity Planning
• Emergency Planning

Cyber Pathfinder events, which are free of charge for public service delegates, are aimed at Senior Leaders, Policy Makers and Practitioners from Public Service providers – especially (but not limited to) Local Authorities, Local Resilience Forums or their public sector delivery partners.

Aim

To build a shared understanding of the implications for local multi-agency partners in responding to a significant cyber incident.

Objectives

Working on a significant cyber scenario, participants from across the regional LRF community will have the opportunity to:

• Understand current multi agency crisis management arrangements, and know how to activate, operate and de-activate them
• Rehearse and examine the implications and impacts of a significant cyber incident on multi agency partnerships during a major incident
• Understand and test assumptions underpinning multi-agency crisis management processes having checked that understanding in a range of discussions based on an evolving scenario
• Consider multi-agency response arrangements in managing the impact of a significant cyber incident and highlight areas of vulnerability
• Identify common steps for individual responder organisations and the wider multi-agency community in responding to a major incident of this nature
• Work together to achieve successful outcomes in a simulated crisis scenario
• Consider if the evidence gathered whilst working on the exercise suggest that multi-agency and individual organisational plans and arrangements are likely to be effective

Additional Information

The Multi-Agency Exercise is part of the MHCLG Cyber Pathfinder Training Scheme, funded by the National Cyber Security Programme.  Participants and/or their organisations can further develop their understanding of cyber resilience, and the lessons learnt from attending the Exercise, by taking part in one or more of the programme’s training seminars.

Places are limited to 60 participants for each Cyber Pathfinder Programme event so early booking is advisable.

Teaching and Learning Methods:

• Interactive Learning
• Group Exercises
• Case Studies
• Ongoing Support & Development via Resilience Direct Community

Register