Scenario testing is a methodical approach used to evaluate whether critical business services can continue to operate within predefined impact tolerances under extreme yet plausible conditions.
It involves creating realistic, high‑impact scenarios that stress key people, processes, technology, and third-party dependencies.
The purpose is not only to assess recovery capabilities but also to identify gaps in governance, cybersecurity, ICT resilience, and operational continuity.
Performing scenario testing ensures that each sub‑process—from customer-initiated transfers to dispute resolution—is stress-tested for service availability, regulatory compliance, and ICT/cyber resilience.
Incorporating lessons from the 2025 BNM Discussion Paper on Operational Resilience, this approach reinforces proactive risk management, strengthens stakeholder confidence, and demonstrates regulatory alignment.
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Sub‑CBS Code |
Sub‑CBS |
Recommended Scenario Test Themes |
Impact / Effect |
Evidence of Proactive Risk Management Action |
Link to Integration of Cyber & ICT Risks |
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2.1 |
Customer-Initiated Transfers |
High-volume transaction spike with partial ICT system outage |
Delayed or failed customer payments; reduced customer trust |
Stress testing of transaction platforms; backup transaction queues |
Cyber threat simulation (ransomware, DDoS); ICT failover testing |
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2.2 |
Internal Processing & Routing |
Routing engine misconfiguration under peak load |
Cascading delays in internal transfers; backlogs |
Automated rollback & change control processes |
Integration of ICT change management and monitoring |
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2.3 |
Clearing & Settlement Interface |
Third-party clearing service failure during the peak window |
Missed settlement deadlines; liquidity impact |
Secondary clearing pathways; SLA testing with partners |
ICT integration for secure API connectivity and third-party resilience |
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2.4 |
Foreign & Cross-Border Payments |
FX gateway and connectivity outage |
Delayed cross-border transfers; currency pricing errors |
Dual FX routing; market scenario simulations |
ICT risk: connectivity monitoring, intrusion detection for FX gateways |
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2.5 |
Payment & Transfer Compliance Controls |
Large-scale AML/CFT false positives triggered by model malfunction |
Transaction hold-ups; regulatory reporting delays |
Periodic AI/AML model validation; audit trails |
Cyber integration for model integrity, secure data pipelines |
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2.6 |
Notification & Status Reporting |
Messaging platform disruption |
Customers do not receive transaction notifications; trust impact |
Independent messaging fallback, queue persistence tests |
ICT risk: secure communication channels, resilience of APIs |
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2.7 |
Exception Handling & Remediation |
Exception backlog from batch processing failure |
SLA breaches; customer dissatisfaction |
Automated exception routing; priority escalation dashboards |
ICT workflow integration; anomaly detection in exception processing |
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2.8 |
Settlement & Reconciliation Accounting |
Data corruption in the settlement database post-patch |
Inaccurate accounting, financial reporting errors |
End-of-day reconciliation cross-system validation; immutable logs |
ICT risk: database integrity, ACID compliance, forensic logging |
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2.9 |
Service & Channel Monitoring |
Monitoring tool outage due to a cyber exploit |
Loss of visibility over service health; delayed incident response |
Distributed monitoring with AI anomaly detection |
Cyber integration: predictive monitoring, multi-channel correlation |
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2.10 |
Customer Support & Dispute Resolution |
Contact centre outage or VoIP disruption |
Customer queries unresolved; disputes escalate |
Cloud-based failover; omni-channel support testing |
ICT integration: cyber-hardened CRM, DDoS mitigation for contact channels |
Performing scenario testing for CBS‑2 Payment & Fund Transfer Services enables CIMB Bank to conduct a systematic evaluation of its operational, technological, and cyber resilience.
It ensures that severe but plausible disruptions—ranging from ICT outages to process errors—are tested against the bank’s impact tolerances.
Scenario testing delivers proactive evidence of risk management, strengthens governance, and identifies areas requiring investment or process improvements.
By incorporating cyber and ICT risks into every test, CIMB Bank not only demonstrates compliance with evolving BNM operational resilience guidance but also builds confidence in its ability to sustain core services and protect customer interests under extreme conditions.
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Operational Resilience in Practice: The CIMB Bank Approach |
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| eBook 3: Starting Your OR Implementation |
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| CBS-2 Payment & Fund Transfer Services | |||||
| CBS-2 DP | CBS-2 MD | CBS-2 MPR | CBS-2 ITo | CBS-2 SuPS | CBS-2 ST |
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For organisations looking to accelerate their journey, BCM Institute’s training and certification programs, including the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course, provide in-depth insights and practical toolkits for effectively embedding this model.
Gain Competency: For organisations looking to accelerate their journey, BCM Institute’s training and certification programs, including the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course, provide in-depth insights and practical toolkits for effectively embedding this model.
To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the [OR-3] OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the [OR-5] OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.
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If you have any questions, click to contact us. |
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