Court Cybersecurity Virtual Tabletop Exercise 2026

Hosted by NCSC, the Joint Technology Committee (JTC), and experts from the Center for Internet Security (CIS), this interactive court cybersecurity virtual tabletop exercise (vTTX) attracted 375 registered participants representing 46 states and three U.S. territories.

Participants from all levels of the judiciary attended individually and as teams, gathering in conference rooms to discuss the exercise and evaluate their collective response capabilities.

Representatives from the Center for Internet Security provided a court-specific threat brief, followed by an exercise that challenged participants to respond to a realistic cyber incident involving unauthorized access to court systems, potential exposure of juror information, questions about the integrity of court records, and the emergence of AI-generated content designed to undermine public trust. 

Participants examined how their courts would communicate, make operational decisions, maintain continuity of operations, and preserve confidence in the judicial system during a rapidly evolving cyber crisis. A final presentation provided insight into controls that could be strengthened or incorporated to better prevent or respond to a cyber event.

Special thanks to our partners at the Joint Technology Committee (JTC) and the Center for Internet Security (CIS) for sharing their expertise and helping facilitate this national learning opportunity. 

Moderator:

• Shay Cleary, principal court management consultant, NCSC

Panelists:

• Pat Brooks, director of information technology services, Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator
• Charity Otwell, director of critical security controls, Center for Internet Security
• Theodore Sayers, director of intelligence and incident response, Center for Internet Security
• Kelly C. Steele, trial court administrator, Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, Orlando, Florida  
• Andrea Vandeloecht, associate circuit judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Keytesville, Missouri