C-Suite Cyber Chess

Cyber incidents sit at the core of business risk.

Ransomware and cyber extortion events are board-level crises, capable of halting operations, damaging trust, triggering regulatory scrutiny and exposing directors to personal accountability. In this environment, cyber readiness is not about firewalls and code - it is about delivering clear leadership under pressure.

Effective organisations recognise that a cyber attack is not about technical failure. It is a critical strategic event that demands rapid, high-stakes decisions by senior leadership: whether to shut down systems, how to engage with threat actors, what and when to disclose to regulators and stakeholders, and how to safeguard value and prevent loss while restoring operations and systems securely. These decisions are often required within hours, with imperfect information and under intense scrutiny.

From playbooks to practice

Traditional cyber readiness policies and incident response plans are necessary, but they are rarely sufficient on their own. When a real incident occurs, success depends on how well and how quickly leaders can apply those plans in practice, together, in real time.

This is where tabletop and simulation exercises come into play. Often described as “cyber wargaming”, these are non-technical, scenario-based exercises designed specifically for boards and executive teams. Participants are guided through a realistic ransomware or cyber extortion scenario and asked to make the same strategic, legal, financial and reputational decisions they would face in a live event.

Crucially, these exercises are not about assessing the response of IT teams. They test governance, decision-making, escalation, accountability and communication at the top of the organisation. Like a game of chess, leaders must think several moves ahead - balancing risk, compliance, ethics and stakeholder expectations, while the extortion threat evolves and confronts them.

Effective responses to extortion threats depend on multi-disciplinary specialists who equip leaders with focused threat intelligence, act as expert negotiators and deliver fast, accurate legal advice. As in chess, leaders need to understand which pieces to deploy in response to an attack.

Governance now demands cyber readiness

Recent regulatory and governance developments in South Africa reinforce the importance of this approach. The Joint Standard on Cyber Security and Cyber Resilience emphasises not only technical controls, but also governance, oversight, testing and preparedness at senior management and board level. Similarly, the King V Code on Corporate Governance places heightened responsibility on governing bodies to oversee technology, information and cyber risk as strategic business issues.

Tabletop and simulation exercises provide a practical mechanism for boards and executives to demonstrate oversight in action. They test leaders in ways that ensure cyber risks are understood, rehearsed and integrated into enterprise risk management, rather than treated as abstract or delegated concerns.

How Clyde & Co can help

Clyde & Co supports clients in designing and delivering tailored cyber tabletop and simulation exercises that are legally accurate, commercially realistic and governance-focused. Our practical approach integrates legal, regulatory, insurance, crisis management and reputational considerations, mirroring the complexity of real-world incidents.

Exercises are customised to an organisation’s sector, risk profile and regulatory environment, and structured to align with the expectations of both the Joint Standard and the King V Code. Participants leave not only with greater confidence, but with lasting insights into decision-making gaps, escalation pathways and governance enhancements.

In cyber risk, preparation is not about predicting the next move - it is about being ready to respond as the game changes. In today’s acute threat landscape, cyber readiness is leadership readiness.