Active

Exercise Framework

The organization shall establish a BCDR exercise framework that defines the structures, processes, and practices for testing and exercising BCDR plans and capabilities. The framework shall articulate how exercises are planned, conducted, and governed, providing the foundation for all BCDR testing and exercising activities.

Requirement ID
BCM-004-R001
Parent Control
Domain Code

Requirement Details & Guidance

BCM-004-R001 · BCM-004
Why This Requirement Exists

This requirement exists to establish the framework and governance for planning, conducting, validating, reviewing, and improving BCDR exercises and to ensure BCDR capabilities remain aligned with business needs, recovery objectives, and organizational risk.

Implementation Guidance

Establish and document the process for establish the framework and governance for planning, conducting, validating, reviewing, and improving BCDR exercises. Define accountable owners, required inputs and outputs, approval or validation points, criteria and thresholds, review frequency, exception handling, monitoring, reporting, and evidence requirements. Integrate the activity with risk management, incident response, technology operations, asset management, third-party management, and relevant business processes.

Practical Application & Audit Readiness

BCM-004-R001 · Field Guidance

Business Examples

    Common Audit Findings

      Common Mistakes

        Best Practices & Ownership

        BCM-004 · Recommended Approach

        Recommended Practices

          Typical Owner

          Cross-Mapped Regulatory Frameworks

          Harmonized Control Mappings
          FRAMEWORK CODE FRAMEWORK NAME & DETAILS FAMILY / CATEGORY VERSION ACTION
          CIS-V8 CIS Controls CIS Controls are a prioritized set of cybersecurit... Clause: Control 11 – Data Recovery: 11.5 – Test Data Recovery
          CIS
          Best Practice
          vv8 View →
          COBIT2019 COBIT COBIT is an enterprise governance and management f... Clause: 4.4 – Deliver, Service and Support (DSS) > DSS04 – Managed Continuity > DSS04.04 – Exercise, test and review the business continuity plan (BCP)
          COBIT
          Governance Framework
          v2019 View →
          DORA Digital Operational Resilience Act The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act establis... Clause: Article 11(6)(a) – Annual testing of ICT business continuity and response/recovery plans Article 11(6)(b) – Testing of crisis communication plans Article 24(1) – Digital operational resilience testing programme
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          GDPR General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation is a bindin... Clause: Article 32(1)(d) – Testing, assessing and evaluating security measures
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA is a U.S. federal law supported by implement... Clause: § 164.308(a)(13) Standard: Contingency plan
          US
          Law
          vCurrent View →
          IRDAI IRDAI Information & Cyber Security Guidelines IRDAI information and cyber-security requirements... Clause: §2.13-3.3.3 – Testing of BCP
          India
          Guideline
          vLatest View →
          ISO22301 ISO/IEC 22301 ISO 22301 specifies requirements for a Business Co... Clause: 8.5 – Exercise programme; 8.6 – Evaluation of business continuity documentation and capabilities
          ISO
          Standard
          v2019 View →
          NIS2 NIS2 Directive The NIS2 Directive establishes EU-wide cybersecuri... Clause: Article 21(2)(c) – Business continuity, including backup management, disaster recovery and crisis management
          EU
          Directive
          vCurrent View →
          NIST-CSF NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides high-lev... Clause: ID.IM – Improvement | ID.IM-02 – Improvements are identified from security tests and exercises, including those done in coordination with suppliers and relevant third parties
          NIST
          Framework
          v2 View →
          NIST80053 NIST SP 800-53 NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 presents control families, i... Clause: 3.6 – CONTINGENCY PLANNING; CP-4 – CONTINGENCY PLAN TESTING, CP-3 – CONTINGENCY TRAINING
          NIST
          Control Catalog
          vRev. 5 View →
          NPCI-ISR NPCI Information Security Requirements NPCI information-security requirements define cont... Clause: Operational Review; Business Continuity Plan – DR Drills
          India
          Standard
          vLatest View →
          PCI-DSS PCI DSS PCI DSS is an industry security standard maintaine... Clause: 12.10.1 – An incident response plan exists and is
          PCI
          Standard
          v4 View →
          RBI-CSF RBI Cyber Security Framework / Master Directions RBI cyber-security requirements and directions set... Clause: 19) Incident Response & Management – 19.5 Resilience capabilities and coordinated testing across interconnected systems, vendors and partners; 19) Incident Response & Management – 19.6 Crisis communications, reputation management and capacity planning in resilience testing
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          SEBI-CSCRF SEBI Cyber Security & Cyber Resilience Framework SEBI’s Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framewor... Clause: 6.1 RC.RP: Incident Recovery Plan Execution; 6.3 RC.IM: Improvements
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          SOC2 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria SOC 2 is an independent examination and reporting... Clause: A1.3 – Availability – The entity tests recovery plan procedures supporting system recovery to meet its objectives. CC9.1 – Risk Mitigation – The entity identifies, selects, and develops risk mitigation activities for risks arising from potential business disruptions.
          AICPA
          Audit Framework
          vLatest View →

          Parent Domain Context

          Governance Domain Baseline
          Domain Name:
          Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCM)
          Purpose:
          To maintain business operations and recover technology systems in the event of a disruption.
          Scope:
          Enterprise

          Parent Control Context

          Control Baseline
          Control Name:
          BCDR Testing & Exercising (BCM-004)
          Summary:
          Establishes BCDR testing including tabletop exercises, technical recovery testing, DR exercises, BC exercises, test validation, lessons learned, corrective action tracking, review, and continuous improvement.
          Business Description:
          Establish and maintain a program for testing, exercising, validating, and continuously improving business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities through tabletop, simulation, technical, and recovery exercises.