June 12, 2025
What Is an After Action Report? Key Benefits in Cybersecurity Exercises
After Action Reporting (AAR) is essential for improving your organization’s readiness, whether following a cybersecurity exercise or an actual incident. AARs help assess performance, identify gaps, and drive continuous improvement in incident response capabilities.
What is an After Action Report (AAR)?
An After Action Report (AAR) is a formal, structured document that captures a thorough review and analysis of a cybersecurity exercise or real-world incident. It goes beyond a simple summary, providing an objective evaluation of response activities, decision-making processes, and team performance. The AAR identifies what worked well, uncovers critical gaps or vulnerabilities, and offers actionable recommendations to enhance future incident response efforts. For cybersecurity leaders, the AAR serves as a foundational tool to drive informed decision-making, continuous improvement, and strategic alignment across technical and organizational functions.
Why Conduct After Action Reports?
AARs validate your organization’s incident response objectives by evaluating:
- Communication effectiveness across teams
- Timely collection of information for accurate reporting
- Operational and leadership performance
By gathering feedback from exercise participants and observers, AARs deliver comprehensive insights for improvement.
Tailoring AARs for Exercises vs. Real Incidents
While the AAR framework remains consistent, content varies:
- Exercises: Focus on validating plans and team coordination
- Real Incidents: Require detailed operational data and performance reviews
Using separate AAR templates ensures relevant, actionable information is captured.
Essential Elements of an Effective AAR
A well-crafted After Action Report includes:
- Executive Summary: Clear, non-technical overview for leadership
- Scenario Overview: Objectives, storyline, and participants
- Findings: Key observations and areas for improvement
- Individual Performance: Sensitive feedback delivered carefully
- Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&M): Steps to address gaps
How to Write an After Action Report?
- Collect comprehensive and relevant data: Aggregate detailed logs, timelines, decision points, and key communications from the exercise or incident.
- Facilitate targeted stakeholder debriefs: Engage cross-functional leaders and response teams to capture diverse perspectives and validate facts.
- Conduct objective, root-cause analysis: Evaluate performance against established benchmarks to identify systemic weaknesses and areas of success.
- Highlight strategic gaps and risks: Identify vulnerabilities in processes, technology, and team coordination that could impact future incidents.
- Formulate prioritized, actionable recommendations: Align improvements with organizational risk tolerance, resource availability, and strategic goals.
- Develop a clear, executive-level report: Present findings concisely with emphasis on impact, accountability, and measurable next steps.
Ensure timely dissemination and integration: Share insights with decision-makers and embed lessons learned into governance, training, and incident response frameworks
Driving Continuous Improvement through AARs
AARs are more than reports, they are tools for ongoing enhancements . Use them to update response plans, improve training, and measure cybersecurity program maturity. Regular exercises and incident reviews build organizational resilience and readiness.
Incorporating thorough After Action Reporting strengthens your incident response program and helps ensure compliance with standards such as CMMC and NIST. Prioritize AARs to enhance operational effectiveness and protect your organization against evolving cybersecurity threats
Enhance Your Incident Response Skills with PECB Skills
To advance your expertise in incident response and After Action Reporting, explore professional courses from PECB Skills. Our training courses provide practical knowledge to effectively manage cybersecurity incidents and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
