The 6 Phases of an Incident Response Plan

Incident Response: A Step-By-Step Process

The incident response (IR) process is a structured approach to managing cyber incidents from start to finish. It consists of six key phases, each with its own critical role in reducing the impact of future incidents on business operations.

1. Preparation. Develop an IR plan, identify stakeholders, and establish communication channels.
2. Assessment. Gather information to understand the scope, severity, and impact of the incident.
3. Mitigation. Contain the incident to prevent further damage by isolating affected systems and blocking malicious traffic.
4. Response. Take corrective actions to resolve the incident, including eradicating malware and restoring data.
5. Recovery. Restore normal operations by verifying system functionality and re-establishing normal business operations.
6. Review. Analyze and identify root causes of the incident, and update the incident response plan accordingly.

Let’s take a look at each phase in more detail.

#1: Preparation for Incident Response

The first phase of an effective IR plan is to define the scope and objectives of the IR plan, identify stakeholders who need to be involved in the process and develop procedures that cover all phases of IR.

Here’s how to prepare for incident response:

• Define the Incident Response Scope: A comprehensive incident response plan defines the scope of its application, objectives, and key stakeholders involved in planning and execution, including management, IT personnel, legal counsel, and communications teams.
• Establish an Incident Response Team: The IR team consists of key SMEs, each with designated roles and responsibilities, and each playing a critical role in responding to and managing an incident. These individuals work together to resolve incidents, with roles evolving throughout the response cycle as needed.
• Set Up Clear Communication Channels: The IR plan outlines communication channels for internal and external stakeholders during an incident, such as email lists, messaging systems, and phone lines, to ensure effective information sharing and coordination.
• Identify Risks: Conduct regular risk assessments to understand the organization’s security posture and identify potential vulnerabilities, then prioritize the risks based on their likelihood and potential impact and develop appropriate security measures.

#2: Initial Identification and Assessment

During this phase, it is crucial to rapidly detect and assess cybersecurity incidents to identify the scope of the problem and prepare for the next phases of the response plan.

Here’s how to do it:

• Recognizing Indicators of Compromise (IoCs): Identifying IoCs, such as unusual login attempts or suspicious network traffic, allows for early detection of potential threats, enabling prompt response.
• Anomaly Detection and Incident Event Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for anomalies and security events helps identify incidents quickly, allowing for a swift and effective response to minimize impact on the organization.
• Prioritizing Incidents Based on Impact and Risk: Prioritization enables organizations to focus resources effectively by addressing high-impact or high-risk incidents first, minimizing potential damage and ensuring the most critical issues are resolved promptly.

By executing these steps, you rapidly detect and assess cybersecurity incidents, reducing the likelihood of prolonged downtime.

#3: Containment and Mitigation

This phase is critical to minimizing the impact of a cybersecurity incident on an organization, preventing further damage and loss.

Here’s what this phase entails.

• Short and Long-term Containment Strategies: Immediate actions like isolating affected systems, changing credentials, and restricting user access help to reduce the spread of the incident in the short term. Long-term containment measures include improving IR procedures and training, implementing and enforcing updated security policies, and conducting periodic audits and assessments.
• Isolating and Remediating Compromised Systems: Isolating compromised systems and networks ensures that the incident does not spread further, protecting other assets within the organization. Thorough investigation and remediation of compromised systems help to eliminate the root cause of the incident and prevent it from recurring in the future.
• Deploying Security Patches and Updates: Regularly updating software, applications, and operating systems with the latest security patches and updates helps organizations maintain a strong defense against known vulnerabilities.

Implementing comprehensive containment and mitigation limits the spread and damage caused by incidents while working towards a full recovery.

#4: Incident Response Workflow

The centralized IR team plays a vital role in coordinating efforts to eradicate the effects of a cyberattack. The phase involves several key steps:

• Notification and Escalation Procedures: Established procedures outline who to contact, how to report incidents, and expected response times. Escalation procedures are also in place to ensure that high-priority incidents receive prompt attention.
• Coordinating with External Investigations: The incident response team works with law enforcement agencies or third-party forensic experts to identify root causes and ensures a comprehensive and effective response. Analyzing system logs and data helps understand the incident’s scope and root causes.
• Collecting and Preserving Evidence: The incident response team collects and preserves evidence, documenting and storing it for future reference or potential legal proceedings.

#5: Incident Recovery

During this phase, the focus shifts from containing and eradicating the incident to restoring functionality and minimizing downtime.

Here’s what to do:

• Restoring Affected Systems and Services: This involves verifying that all affected systems and services are functioning correctly and have been restored to their pre-incident state. This may involve re-imaging workstations, restoring databases, or re-configuring network devices.
• Verifying Data Integrity: Organizations should verify the integrity of data stored on affected systems to ensure it has not been corrupted or compromised during the incident.
• Re-establishing Communication Channels: Once systems and services are restored, organizations should re-establish communication channels with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and employees.

#6: Review and Post-Incident Activities

The final phase of an IR plan involves reviewing the incident, assessing improvements to procedures, and documenting lessons learned from the incident.

• Incident Review: Following an incident, conduct a thorough post-mortem analysis to identify root causes and impact of the incident, areas for improvement, and lessons learned.
• Incident Documentation: As part of the post-incident activities, the IR team prepares an incident report detailing the incident, including key learnings from the incident to inform future planning and operations.
• Process Improvement: Update the IR plan to refine existing processes identified as ineffective, upgrade or replace technology that was not adequate in preventing the incident, and develop new processes based on lessons learned.