QLD Health - SOC Team Uplift

Overview

When the Queensland Department of Health (QH) faced the significant challenge of preparing their Security Operations Centre (SOC) for the heightened cybersecurity demands of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, FIFTH DOMAIN was called upon to develop and enhance their SOC capabilities. Our unique understanding of QH's specific needs allowed us to create a tailor-made training program that was not only effective but also timely, given the imminent international event.

Challenges Faced

QH identified several critical challenges as they prepared for the influx of international visitors during the Commonwealth Games:

1. The need to rapidly scale up SOC operations to handle the increased volume of eHealth records.
2. The requirement to enhance the maturity of their processes and team capabilities in a short timeframe.
3. The urgency to implement a training program that accurately reflected the technologies and threats QH might face during the Games.

Actions Taken

FIFTH DOMAIN responded to these challenges with a multi-faceted training solution:

1. Defined the SOC's functional structure, pinpointing the roles necessary, and outlining the essential skills for each role.
2. Built bespoke training scenarios that mirrored the actual technologies and potential threats relevant to QH.
3. Ran multiple real-time exercise scenarios, focusing on small team dynamics to ensure detailed feedback and learning.
4. Implemented advanced analytics to assess both individual and team performances, which helped pinpoint areas for further training and optimisation.

Results Achieved

The collaboration between FIFTH DOMAIN and QH yielded impressive results:

- Rapid development and enhancement of the SOC team’s capabilities, aligning with the demands of the Commonwealth Games.
- Successful implementation of a comprehensive, real-world applicable training regime that was both scalable and effective in upskilling the SOC staff.
- Significant improvement in the process maturity of the SOC, ensuring robust cybersecurity measures were in place during the international event.

Key Takeaways

The project exemplified how tailored cybersecurity training could dramatically transform an organization's defensive capabilities in preparation for a major event. FIFTH DOMAIN’s approach not only met QH’s immediate needs but also laid a robust foundation for future growth and adaptation, ensuring that QH’s cybersecurity efforts were sustainable and effective long after the Commonwealth Games had concluded. This case underscores the importance of proactive cybersecurity preparedness in protecting vital health information on a global stage.

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