Cybersecurity Response Plan: What Is It, How to Create Yours

A comprehensive and actionable cybersecurity response plan is essential to mitigate risks and minimize the damage caused by security incidents. This article provides an in-depth guide on the importance of cybersecurity response plans, how to create one, and the essential components to include in your plan.

What is a cybersecurity incident?

A cybersecurity incident is an event or series of events that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization’s digital assets, infrastructure, or data. This may include events such as data breaches, malware infections, ransomware attacks, unauthorized access, and denial-of-service attacks.

Why is it important to have a cybersecurity incident response plan?

A well-structured cybersecurity incident response plan is essential for several reasons:

• It allows organizations to react quickly and efficiently to security incidents, minimizing the impact and potential damage of disruptive cyberattacks.
• It helps organizations to maintain their reputation and customer trust by demonstrating their preparedness for cybersecurity incidents.
• It supports compliance with regulations and industry standards governing data security and privacy protections.
• It facilitates effective communication and coordination among different departments and stakeholders within the organization during a security incident.

What is a cybersecurity incident response plan?

A cybersecurity incident response plan is a documented strategy that outlines how an organization will respond to and manage a cybersecurity incident. It includes predefined procedures, roles, and responsibilities that aid in the detection, containment, eradication, and recovery of a security incident. The plan serves as a roadmap to help security teams navigate through complex incidents efficiently and effectively.

What are the phases of the cybersecurity incident response lifecycle?

The cybersecurity incident response lifecycle typically consists of six phases:

1. Preparation: Establishing policies, procedures, and building an incident response team with clear roles and responsibilities.
2. Identification: Detecting and verifying security incidents by analyzing various data sources and indicators of compromise.
3. Containment: Isolating affected systems and networks to prevent further spread and damage.
4. Eradication: Removing the threat from the affected systems and applying necessary patches and updates.
5. Recovery: Restoring affected systems and normalizing operations.
6. Lessons Learned: Analyzing the incident, evaluating the response, and incorporating improvements into the future iterations of the response plan.

NIST incident response framework

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides organizations with a framework to help structure their incident response practices. The NIST incident response framework consists of four key steps:

1. Preparation
2. Detection and Analysis
3. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
4. Post-Incident Activity

These steps align with the phases of the cybersecurity incident response lifecycle mentioned earlier.

How do you write a cybersecurity incident response plan?

To write a cybersecurity incident response plan, follow these steps:

• Develop a clear understanding of your organization’s assets, risks, and regulatory requirements.
• Identify key stakeholders and involve them in creating the plan.
• Define the scope of the plan, including incident types and response procedures.
• Establish an incident response team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Outline investigation, containment, eradication, and recovery protocols.
• Develop a communication and reporting strategy for internal and external stakeholders.
• Document procedures for post-incident reviews and lessons learned.

What do you need to include in a cybersecurity incident response plan?

Key elements to include in a cybersecurity incident response plan are:

• A comprehensive overview and objectives of the plan.
• Roles and responsibilities of the incident response team members.
• An incident classification system.
• Procedures for each phase of the incident response lifecycle.
• Contact information for relevant internal and external stakeholders.
• Templates for internal and external communication during an incident.
• Guidelines for preserving evidence for legal or forensic purposes.
• Procedures for post-incident reviews and improvements.

What does NIST recommend when building a cybersecurity incident response plan?

NIST recommends the following best practices:

• Base your incident response plan on a widely accepted framework, such as NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2.
• Customize your plan to fit your organization’s unique context and risk profile.
• Train and educate staff members about the incident response plan and their responsibilities.
• Regularly test and update the plan to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with current needs and technologies.

How often should you test and update your cybersecurity incident response plan?

Your cybersecurity incident response plan should be tested at least annually, or following significant changes in your organization’s infrastructure, personnel, or regulatory requirements. Prompt review and regular updates are necessary to keep the plan current and effective.

Example outline of a cybersecurity incident response plan

An example cybersecurity incident response plan may include the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Roles and responsibilities
• Incident classification
• Procedures for each phase of the incident response lifecycle:
  • Preparation
  • Identification
  • Containment
  • Eradication
  • Recovery
  • Lessons Learned
• Incident response team contact information
• Communication and reporting strategy

What is a cybersecurity incident response team?

A cybersecurity incident response team (CSIRT) is a group of professionals responsible for handling an organization’s information security incidents. They have expertise in various aspects of cybersecurity, including threat detection, forensics, incident management, and communication. The team’s primary goal is to detect, contain, and recover from cybersecurity incidents efficiently and effectively.

How do you build a cybersecurity incident response team?

To build an effective cybersecurity incident response team, consider the following:

• Assess your organization’s needs and risk profile to determine the size and structure of the team.
• Identify the required roles and responsibilities, such as incident manager, security analysts, forensic experts, and communication specialists.
• Determine whether to use internal resources, external third parties, or a combination of both for your team.
• Develop a hiring and training strategy to assemble and maintain a skilled, up-to-date team.
• Define communication and reporting protocols to ensure smooth collaboration and information sharing among team members.

What does NIST recommend when building a cybersecurity incident response team?

NIST suggests three models for building incident response teams:

• Central (all team members co-located in one place).
• Distributed (members spread across multiple locations but collaborate effectively).
• Coordinated (a combination of central and distributed teams, leveraging both internal and external resources).

NIST also recommends regularly providing team members with training opportunities, knowledge sharing sessions, and practical exercises to ensure they are well-equipped to handle incidents effectively. Additionally, fostering collaboration and communication among teams, including sharing best practices and lessons learned, will contribute to the overall readiness of the incident response team.