Draft a Robust Cyber Incident Response Plan

Note: Links to our free templates are at the bottom of this long guide.
Also note: This is not legal advice

Introduction

Having a comprehensive cyber incident response plan is an essential part of protecting any organization from the devastating effects of a cyber attack. Without an organized strategy to anticipate, respond to, and mitigate the potential impacts of a breach, organizations risk suffering serious financial and operational damage. The Genie AI team – a highly qualified group of professionals with expertise in cyber security and data protection – have developed the world’s largest open source legal template library for draft cyber incident response plans. Through millions of data points, their AI learns what a market-standard plan looks like to ensure that anyone can create high quality documents without paying lawyer fees.

Organizations must consider many legal issues when creating their plans including relevant laws and regulations such as GDPR when it comes to collecting and processing personal data. Beyond this, they also need to take into account any financial losses that may result from reputational damage or customer losses as well as consider what measures will be taken in order to prevent similar attacks in the future. Operational risks are also important; this includes understanding how much disruption will occur if an attack happens and how best to limit its impact on an organization’s operations.

Using this guide does not require you to have an account with Genie AI - our goal is simply helping organizations craft robust response plans for free. Our template library provides step-by-step guidance for drafting effective plans that comply with all applicable laws, help manage associated risks, and reduce the likelihood of future incidents occurring - so read on below for more information on how you can access it today!

Definitions

Data Asset: A collection of information or data that is stored and managed by an organization.
Cybersecurity: Measures taken to protect a computer system or network from unauthorized access, damage, or attack.
Risk Profile: A comprehensive assessment of the potential risks an organization faces.
Threats: Potential sources of harm or danger.
Attack Vectors: The methods used to attack a computer system or network.
Contain: To limit the spread or effect of something.
Mitigate: To reduce the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.
Escalate: To increase in intensity or severity.
Testing: The process of examining something to determine its quality or performance.
Configuration: The way in which something is arranged or organized.
Access Controls: Measures taken to limit or restrict access to a computer system or network.
Network Security: Measures taken to protect a computer network from unauthorized access or attack.
Data Protection: Measures taken to protect data from unauthorized access, damage, or loss.
Detection: The act of recognizing or discovering something.
Alerting: Notifying someone of a potential problem or threat.
Automated: A process or system that is operated with little or no human involvement.
Exercises: Activities that are done to practice or test a skill or ability.
Metrics: A set of measures used to evaluate the performance of a system.
Investigate: To examine closely or look into something.
Impact: The effect or influence of something.
Archive: To store or keep something for future reference.

Contents

1. Assessing the Organization’s Risk
2. Identifying the Data Assets and Their Associated Risks
3. Evaluating the Organization’s Current Cyber Security Controls
4. Evaluating External Factors that Could Result in a Cyber Security Incident
5. Developing a Cyber Incident Response Plan
6. Identifying and Documenting Cyber Security Incident Categories
7. Establishing a Cyber Security Incident Response Team
8. Developing Procedures for Dealing with a Cyber Security Incident
9. Establishing a Communication Plan for Cyber Security Incidents
10. Establishing Processes for Escalating Cyber Security Incidents
11. Establishing Procedures for Testing the Cyber Incident Response Plan
12. Establishing a Cyber Security Incident Response Team
13. Identifying and Documenting the Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Members
14. Establishing Protocols for Communication and Collaboration Among Team Members
15. Developing Cyber Security Incident Response Training Plans
16. Developing Cyber Security Policies and Procedures
17. Establishing Standards for Security Configuration and Management
18. Establishing Guidelines for User Access Controls
19. Establishing Rules for Network Security
20. Establishing Policies for Data Protection and Privacy
21. Establishing a Cyber Incident Detection and Response System
22. Identifying and Documenting Potential Cyber Security Threats
23. Establishing Monitoring and Alerting Systems
24. Developing Automated Incident Detection and Response Systems
25. Training and Exercising the Cyber Incident Response Plan
26. Developing Cyber Security Incident Response Training Plans
27. Conducting Practice Exercises for Cyber Security Incident Response Teams
28. Developing Procedures for Testing and Evaluating the Cyber Incident Response Plan
29. Responding to a Cyber Security Incident
30. Implementing the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan
31. Investigating the Incident
32. Taking Immediate Action to Contain the Incident
33. Documenting the Incident
34. Investigating a Cyber Security Incident
35. Identifying the Type and Scope of the Incident
36. Collecting Evidence and Analyzing the Incident
37. Identifying and Documenting the Impact of the Incident
38. Documenting a Cyber Security Incident
39. Creating a Comprehensive Report of the Incident
40. Documenting Lessons Learned from the Incident
41. Establishing Processes for Documenting and Archiving Incident Records
42. Recovering from a Cyber Security Incident
43. Establishing Procedures for System Restoration
44. Identifying and Documenting Changes Necessary to Mitigate Similar Incidents in the Future
45. Establishing Processes for Notifying and Reassuring Users
46. Evaluating the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan
47. Reviewing and Validating the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan
48. Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Incident Response Strategies
49. Identifying Areas for Improvement in the Incident Response Process

Get started

Assessing the Organization’s Risk

• Identify and list out all the people, processes, and technologies that are part of the organization’s digital infrastructure
• Assess the security of the organization’s systems, networks, and data assets
• Examine the organization’s assets to identify any potential threats such as data breaches, malware, or other malicious activity
• Evaluate the organization’s ability to respond to a cyber incident and the resources available to do so
• Develop a risk assessment report that outlines the risks to the organization’s data assets and the steps needed to reduce them
• Once the risk assessment is complete, you can move on to the next step of identifying the data assets and their associated risks.

Identifying the Data Assets and Their Associated Risks

• Identify all data assets and the associated risks to each asset
• Assess the value of each asset to the organization and the potential impact of a data breach
• Analyze any external or third-party vendors that have access to the organization’s data and the associated risks
• Develop an inventory of the organization’s data assets and associated risks
• Document the data assets and associated risks in a centralized repository

Once you have identified the data assets and associated risks, you can move on to the next step which is evaluating the organization’s current cyber security controls.

Evaluating the Organization’s Current Cyber Security Controls

• Establish a documented risk management process for evaluating and identifying current cyber security controls
• Identify the current security controls that are in place such as authentication, access control, encryption, firewalls, data leakage prevention, Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDPS)
• Identify any gaps in the current security controls and categorize them according to the organization’s risk assessment
• Assess the effectiveness of current security controls and determine if they are adequate to meet the organization’s objectives
• Develop a system to regularly monitor the effectiveness of existing security controls
• Document the findings of the evaluation and review them with the relevant stakeholders

Once you complete the evaluation of the current cyber security controls, you can move on to the next step which is evaluating external factors that could result in a cyber security incident.

Evaluating External Factors that Could Result in a Cyber Security Incident

• Identify any external factors, such as third-party vendors, that could introduce a security risk to the organization’s data or systems.
• Review industry, government, and/or third-party reports for any past or current security incidents that have occurred in similar organizations.
• Research known security risks and threats to the organization’s sector or industry, such as malware, ransomware, or other malicious software.
• Determine potential weak points in the organization’s security, such as lack of employee training or outdated software.

You can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have identified any external factors that could result in a cyber security incident, reviewed past or current security incidents, researched known security risks, and determined any potential weak points in the organization’s security.

Developing a Cyber Incident Response Plan

• Establish a team responsible for developing and implementing the plan
• Define the scope of the plan and its objectives
• Assess the organization’s risk profile and identify potential threats
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of team members
• Develop the plan in accordance with relevant regulations and compliance obligations
• Plan for the containment, eradication, and recovery of cybersecurity incidents
• Develop a communication plan for stakeholders
• Test and validate the plan
• Review and update the plan regularly

You will know when you can check this off your list and move on to the next step when the plan is drafted with the objectives, roles and responsibilities of team members, and communication plan for stakeholders. It should also be tested, validated, and reviewed and updated regularly.

Identifying and Documenting Cyber Security Incident Categories

• List out the categories of cyber security incidents that may occur in your organization, such as data breaches, malicious activity, or ransomware attacks
• Define the scope of each cyber security incident category and document the details of each
• Develop a set of indicators that can be used to identify each cyber security incident category
• Ensure all cyber security incident categories are documented and up-to-date

When you have identified and documented all the cyber security incident categories, you can move on to the next step of establishing a cyber security incident response team.

Establishing a Cyber Security Incident Response Team

• Identify the team members that will be responsible for responding to potential cyber security incidents.
• Assign appropriate roles and responsibilities to each team member that is responsible for responding to potential cyber security incidents.
• Establish and document communication protocols and procedures for the team.
• Establish and document procedures for training and certifying team members.
• Create a timeline for regular review and updating of the incident response plan, as needed.

You can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have identified all team members, assigned roles and responsibilities, established communication protocols and procedures, established training and certification procedures, and created a timeline for regular review and updating of the incident response plan.

Developing Procedures for Dealing with a Cyber Security Incident

• Identify the type of incident and document the evidence
• Develop a containment plan
• Create a plan to restore data, systems and services
• Create a response plan, including:
• Identifying the roles and responsibilities of team members
• Establishing a timeline and process for responding to incidents
• Establishing a system to track each incident
• Develop a communication plan for responding to a cyber security incident
• Document the procedures and update them regularly

When you have developed the procedures for dealing with a cyber security incident and documented them, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Establishing a Communication Plan for Cyber Security Incidents

• Identify the key stakeholders in the organization who need to be notified of a cyber security incident
• Create a communication plan that outlines the process of how cyber security incidents will be reported, and who will be responsible for communicating the incident and its resolution
• Develop a written policy that sets out the communication protocols for cyber security incidents
• Ensure that the communication plan is well documented and distributed to all stakeholders
• Develop a training program for all stakeholders to familiarize them with the communication plan

When this step is completed, you should have a clear understanding of who will be responsible for communicating cyber security incidents, and how they will go about it. You will also have a written policy and a training program to help stakeholders understand the communication protocols.

Establishing Processes for Escalating Cyber Security Incidents

• Create a system for categorizing cyber security incidents by severity, along with criteria for determining severity.
• Develop an escalation process for alerting the appropriate personnel or departments.
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of personnel and departments for responding to cyber security incidents.
• Document the escalation process and update it regularly.
• Test the escalation process to ensure that it works and that personnel are aware of their roles and responsibilities.

By completing these steps and testing the process, you will have established processes for escalating cyber security incidents and can move on to the next step.

Establishing Procedures for Testing the Cyber Incident Response Plan

• Develop a test plan for the incident response plan that includes methods, scenarios, and objectives
• Ensure the test plan includes tests for the full range of incident response activities, including detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and communication
• Schedule the testing of the incident response plan with the relevant stakeholders
• Execute the tests in the incident response plan and record the results
• Analyze the test results and address any issues that arise
• Update the incident response plan based on the test results
• When all tests have been completed and all issues addressed, the incident response plan can be considered tested and ready for implementation.

Establishing a Cyber Security Incident Response Team

• Identify and recruit the members of the team
• Identify the key roles and responsibilities of each team member
• Develop job descriptions that cover the roles and responsibilities of each team member
• Assign roles and responsibilities to team members
• Communicate the plan and roles to team members
• When all roles have been assigned and all team members understand their responsibilities, check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Identifying and Documenting the Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Members

• Identify and assign roles to the members of the response team
• Create a document that outlines the team member’s roles, responsibilities and authority
• Ensure all team members have a clear understanding of their roles
• Ensure that all team members have the appropriate skills and authority to fulfill their roles
• Document any external parties that the team needs to work with (e.g. law enforcement, vendors, etc.)
• Once the roles and responsibilities are established and documented, have the document signed by each team member

When you have identified and documented the roles and responsibilities of each team member, you can move on to the next step of establishing protocols for communication and collaboration among team members.

Establishing Protocols for Communication and Collaboration Among Team Members

• Define the most appropriate channels for communication and collaboration among team members (e.g. email, telephone, online chat, etc.)
• Identify the key stakeholders who need to be involved in the communication and collaboration process and develop protocols for the same
• Define the criteria for and the frequency of communication and collaboration among team members
• Establish guidelines for the type of information that needs to be shared in the communication and collaboration process
• Set up a platform/software for virtual collaboration among team members

You’ll know you can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have established protocols for communication and collaboration among team members and set up the appropriate platform/software for virtual collaboration.

Developing Cyber Security Incident Response Training Plans

• Identify the incident response teams and the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
• Develop an incident response training program for each team member to ensure that all team members are aware of their responsibilities.
• Provide training to all team members on how to identify and respond to cyber security incidents.
• Develop a cyber security incident response plan that outlines the steps to be taken in the event of an incident.
• Review and test the plan periodically to ensure that it is up to date and effective.

Once all the training plans have been developed and the team members have been trained, it is time to move on to the next step: Developing Cyber Security Policies and Procedures.

Developing Cyber Security Policies and Procedures

• Develop policies that define roles and responsibilities for all personnel in responding to a cyber incident.
• Establish technical security control policies that define the security controls that must be in place for the organization’s systems and applications.
• Develop a policy for the appropriate use of organizational information technology resources.
• Establish procedures for incident response, including appropriate responses to different types of incidents, escalation procedures, and methods for reporting incidents to the appropriate personnel.
• Develop a policy for the secure handling of sensitive information.

You’ll know you can move on to the next step when you have completed the development of all the necessary policies and procedures that define the roles and responsibilities of personnel in responding to a cyber incident, have established technical security control policies, have established procedures for incident response, have developed a policy for the appropriate use of organizational information technology resources, and have developed a policy for the secure handling of sensitive information.

Establishing Standards for Security Configuration and Management

• Define the security configurations that are expected from all systems, such as operating system settings, software settings, and other security settings.
• Identify the tools that will be used for managing the configurations and ensure that they are configured to the defined security settings.
• Document procedures for monitoring the security configurations and for responding to any changes that are detected.
• Establish a process for approving any changes to the security configurations.
• Periodically review the security configurations to ensure that they are up-to-date and meet the organization’s security needs.

Once all of the above points have been completed and documented, you can move on to the next step of Establishing Guidelines for User Access Controls.

Establishing Guidelines for User Access Controls

• Create a list of user access controls that must be followed
• Identify which user roles should have access to which systems and data
• Implement measures such as authentication, authorization, and encryption
• Restrict access to privileged accounts, especially those with administrative rights
• Ensure that user access is regularly monitored and reviewed
• Establish a system for logging and tracking user access activity
• Establish a process for revoking access when necessary

When you can check off this step:

• When you have created a list of user access controls and identified which user roles should have access to which systems and data
• When you have implemented measures such as authentication, authorization, and encryption
• When you have restricted access to privileged accounts, especially those with administrative rights
• When you have established a system for logging and tracking user access activity
• When you have established a process for revoking access when necessary

Establishing Rules for Network Security

• Create a network security policy that outlines the rules for network access and use.
• Define which areas of the network are open to access and which are restricted.
• Outline which authentication methods are acceptable and which aren’t.
• Define acceptable user behaviors, such as password strength requirements, acceptable file sharing protocols, etc.
• Define which activities are prohibited and which are allowed.
• Define the consequences of violating the security policy.

You can check this step off your list once you have created the network security policy, defined areas of access and authentication methods, outlined acceptable user behaviors, and defined prohibited activities and consequences of violation.

Establishing Policies for Data Protection and Privacy

• Develop and implement a written data protection and privacy policy
• Establish data governance protocols, such as mandating access control and data encryption, to protect data
• Define roles and responsibilities for data stewards, data custodians, and data users
• Establish training and education for personnel about their data protection and privacy responsibilities
• Establish logging and monitoring of access to data
• Establish incident response procedures and reporting
• Establish policies for data retention and disposal

When you can check this off your list and move on to the next step:
When you have written and implemented an effective data protection and privacy policy, established data governance protocols, defined roles and responsibilities for data stewards, data custodians, and data users, established training and education for personnel about their data protection and privacy responsibilities, established logging and monitoring of access to data, established incident response procedures and reporting, and established policies for data retention and disposal.

Establishing a Cyber Incident Detection and Response System

• Create a team responsible for the cyber incident detection and response system.
• Assign roles and responsibilities for the team.
• Establish protocols for how the team handles cyber incidents.
• Implement a system for detecting and responding to cyber incidents.
• Develop procedures for logging and tracking cyber incidents.
• Ensure that the team is properly trained on cyber incident detection and response system.

You can check this step off your list when the team is properly trained and the system is in place.

Identifying and Documenting Potential Cyber Security Threats

• Identify potential cyber security threats, such as viruses, malware, phishing, and unauthorized access to systems.
• Document the threats that have been identified.
• Create a process for regularly updating the list of threats to ensure it is up-to-date.
• Develop a system for categorizing cyber security threats based on severity.
• Use the threat categorization system to prioritize resolution of the threats.
• Establish a process for reporting cyber security threats to the appropriate personnel.
• When all potential cyber security threats have been identified and documented, this step is complete.

Establishing Monitoring and Alerting Systems

• Research and document which assets need to be monitored and get approval from stakeholders
• Select and implement a monitoring solution that meets the requirements
• Configure alerts based on the assets’ security needs
• Test alerts to ensure they are working correctly
• Document the monitoring and alerting process
• Train personnel to respond to alerts

Once the monitoring and alerting systems have been established, tested, and documented, you can move on to the next step of developing automated incident detection and response systems.

Developing Automated Incident Detection and Response Systems

• Research and select an automated incident detection and response system to meet your organization’s needs
• Create a detailed implementation plan for the automated incident detection and response system
• Set up the automated incident detection and response system in accordance with the implementation plan
• Test the automated incident detection and response system to ensure it is working correctly
• Document any errors or issues encountered during the testing process
• Train personnel on the automated incident detection and response system
• Develop and implement policies and procedures to govern the automated incident detection and response system

Once the automated incident detection and response system is set up, tested, and personnel are trained, this step is complete and you can move on to the next step.

Training and Exercising the Cyber Incident Response Plan

• Schedule regular cyber incident response plan exercises and drills
• Create appropriate scenarios and scenarios involving responding to different types of incidents
• Involve personnel from all departments who may be involved in responding to an incident
• Ensure the exercise and drill scenarios are realistic and challenging
• Use the exercises and drills to test the response team’s ability to respond to an incident and work collaboratively to resolve it
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan after each exercise and drill and use the feedback to update the plan as needed

You will know when you can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have conducted the exercises and drills, evaluated their effectiveness and updated the plan as needed.

Developing Cyber Security Incident Response Training Plans

• Develop a training program to educate and familiarize response team members with the organization’s Incident Response Plan
• Determine the training format and frequency (e.g. classroom, online, virtual, etc.)
• Assign roles and responsibilities to the response team members
• Outline the scope of the incident response training program
• Include topics such as:
• Overview of the Incident Response Plan
• Identification and classification of security incidents
• Effective communication and coordination during a response
• Documentation of the response process and activities
• How to collect and process evidence
• How to use incident response tools
• Establish prerequisites for response team members
• Set a timeline for initial and recurring training

You will know you can check this off your list and move on to the next step once the training program has been developed, roles and responsibilities assigned, scope and topics outlined, prerequisites set, and a timeline for initial and recurring training established.

Conducting Practice Exercises for Cyber Security Incident Response Teams

• Identify the scenarios that the team will need to practice in
• Determine the type of exercises to conduct such as tabletop, walk-through, and full-scale exercises
• Develop a timeline and assign roles and responsibilities to the incident response team
• Provide a brief overview of the exercise and the objectives to the team
• Execute the exercise and document all results
• Debrief the exercise, capture lessons learned and recommendations, and update the incident response plan accordingly
• Review the exercise with the incident response team and other stakeholders
• When all practice exercises are completed, you can check this step off your list and move on to the next step.

Developing Procedures for Testing and Evaluating the Cyber Incident Response Plan

• Create a procedure for testing the incident response plan
• Outline the steps for evaluating effectiveness of the plan
• Determine the specific metrics to measure the success of the plan
• Designate a responsible party for monitoring and measuring the metrics
• Ensure the responsible party is informed of any changes to the plan
• When the plan is tested and evaluated, make sure to document the results
• Once the testing and evaluation is complete, you can move on to the next step: Responding to a Cyber Security Incident.

Responding to a Cyber Security Incident

• Establish an incident response team, which should include IT security personnel and legal representatives.
• Establish an incident response plan that outlines the steps the team should take when responding to a security incident.
• Identify and categorize the incident based on its severity and potential impact, and then determine the appropriate response.
• Identify the potential cause of the security incident, and take steps to mitigate any further damage.
• Contain the incident and investigate the affected systems to determine the extent of the breach.
• Establish a communications plan to notify key stakeholders, including customers, about the incident.
• Implement measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

You’ll know you can check this off your list and move on to the next step once you have established an incident response team, developed an incident response plan, identified and categorized the incident, identified the potential cause, contained and investigated the incident, established a communication plan, and implemented measures to prevent future incidents.

Implementing the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan

• Determine who will be responsible for implementing the plan
• Develop procedures for communicating information related to the incident response plan
• Create an incident response team and assign roles and responsibilities
• Create an incident response plan document
• Establish an incident response policy
• Train personnel on incident response procedures
• Test the incident response plan
• Monitor the plan on an ongoing basis

Once the procedures for implementing the plan are in place and personnel are trained and tested, you can consider this step complete and proceed to the next step of investigating the incident.

Investigating the Incident

• Identify the source of the incident and gather evidence.
• Establish a timeline of events related to the incident.
• Investigate the extent of the incident, including the affected systems and data.
• Investigate the affected users and the impact of the incident on them.
• Document all findings and evidence related to the incident.

Checklist: You can check this step off your list when you have identified the source of the incident, established a timeline of events, investigated the extent of the incident, investigated the affected users and the impact of the incident, and documented all findings and evidence related to the incident.

Taking Immediate Action to Contain the Incident

• Identify and implement containment steps to prevent further damage to the network or data
• Take measures to isolate the infected systems from other systems, such as shutting down or unplugging the system from the network to prevent spread of malware
• Consider using backup systems to restore operations with minimal disruption
• Block or disable accounts of users who may be associated with the incident
• Test and validate that the containment steps taken are working as expected
• When you can verify that the containment steps are successful, you can move on to the next step of documenting the incident.

Documenting the Incident

• Establish a timeline of the incident and document the steps taken
• Identify the key personnel involved in responding to the incident
• Document the source of the incident and any information gathered from the source
• Document the extent of the incident, including the data and systems affected
• Document the steps taken to contain the incident
• Take screenshots or photos of the incident to document the damage
• Compile a list of questions for interviews with personnel who may have information
• Create a timeline of the incident response process

Once all of the above points are completed, you can move on to the next step of investigating a cyber security incident.

Investigating a Cyber Security Incident

• Use digital forensics tools to gather data from the affected system
• Analyze the gathered data to identify the attack vector and malicious activities that occurred
• Identify the potential damage caused by the attack
• Implement the necessary measures to contain and prevent the attack from spreading
• When the incident is contained and the potential damage is identified, you can proceed to the next step of identifying the type and scope of the incident.

Identifying the Type and Scope of the Incident

• Assess the scope of the incident by determining the systems, data, and other resources that have been affected
• Identify the type of incident, such as virus or malware infection, unauthorized access, suspicious network activity, etc.
• Categorize the incident and assign it a severity level
• Determine the scope of the incident by conducting a risk analysis
• Establish an incident response team
• Notify relevant stakeholders and executive management
• When you have identified the type and scope of the incident, you are ready to move onto the next step of collecting evidence and analyzing the incident.

Collecting Evidence and Analyzing the Incident

• Collect forensic evidence from the source and affected systems, including system logs, configuration, and other relevant data sources
• Perform root cause analysis to identify the initial cause, indicators of compromise, and any links to other incidents
• Analyze the incident to determine the type, scope, and origin of the attack
• Gather evidence to determine how the attack was launched, the extent of the breach, and the potential damage
• Assess the impact of the incident on the data, systems, networks, and other critical components

When completed, you’ll have a full understanding of the incident, including the type and scope, the origin of the attack, and the potential damage inflicted. This understanding will provide the foundation for the remainder of the incident response plan.

Identifying and Documenting the Impact of the Incident

• Estimate the scope and impact of the incident on the organization
• Identify the affected systems and services, and affected users and customers
• Create a timeline and summary of the incident
• Document the incident in a detailed report
• Once the scope and impact of the incident have been identified, documented and reported, you can move on to the next step of Documenting a Cyber Security Incident.

Documenting a Cyber Security Incident

• Establish a timeline of events to accurately document the incident
• Identify the affected systems, services, and other components
• Record details of the incident, including the date and time, the entire sequence of events, and any information on the attacker
• Collect and preserve all evidence associated with the incident, including system and network logs, packet captures, emails, and other files
• Contact third-party vendors, such as your security provider, to obtain additional evidence
• Interview affected personnel and obtain their written statements
• Once you have collected all the necessary evidence, document the incident in a formal report
• When all the evidence has been collected and the report has been written, this step is complete and you may move on to creating a comprehensive report of the incident.

Creating a Comprehensive Report of the Incident

• Compile a comprehensive report of the incident, including:
• The timeline of the incident
• All affected systems and data
• All parties involved in the incident
• All steps taken to mitigate the incident
• Review the report and ensure that all information is accurate and up-to-date
• Share the report with the relevant stakeholders

Once the report is completed, you can move on to the next step of documenting lessons learned from the incident.

Documenting Lessons Learned from the Incident

• Identify key areas for improvement, including any changes that can be made to strengthen the cybersecurity incident response plan
• Analyze any communication breakdowns that occurred and document any areas of weakness that were exposed during the incident
• Determine any new processes or procedures that should be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future
• Take any corrective action and/or develop any new policies or procedures as needed
• Document the overall incident response lessons learned
• Create a timeline of the incident and document any changes that were made throughout the incident response process

You will know you have completed this step when you have documented the overall incident response lessons learned and created a timeline of the incident.

Establishing Processes for Documenting and Archiving Incident Records

• Develop a document retention policy that identifies which records need to be archived and for how long
• Develop a process for archiving records and ensure that it is regularly audited
• Ensure that all records related to the incident are securely stored, encrypted if necessary
• Create a plan for recovering records in the event of a disaster
• Determine who will be responsible for managing and archiving incident records
• Establish a process for securely sharing records with third parties, if needed

Once all the above steps have been completed, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Recovering from a Cyber Security Incident

• Develop a plan to restore systems to a known good state
• Identify any additional resources needed to recover systems
• Implement a system to restore data backups
• Perform a post-recovery audit to ensure that the system is operating normally
• Monitor the system for any additional incidents

When you can check this off your list and move on to the next step:

• When the system is restored to a known good state
• When the system is audited and any additional resources needed to recover systems have been identified
• When the data backups have been restored
• When the system is monitored for any additional incidents

Establishing Procedures for System Restoration

• Create a step-by-step plan for restoring systems, including order of operations, data backup, and other procedures
• Ensure that the plan is tested and updated regularly
• Assign roles and responsibilities for restoring systems to the appropriate personnel
• Establish procedures for assessing and verifying the integrity of restored systems
• Ensure that all procedures are documented and stored in a secure location
• Confirm that all affected systems have been restored to their original state
• Once the system restoration is complete, you can move on to the next step of identifying and documenting changes necessary to mitigate similar incidents in the future.

Identifying and Documenting Changes Necessary to Mitigate Similar Incidents in the Future

• Map out the incident and all its components
• Analyze the incident to identify and document the changes necessary to mitigate similar incidents in the future
• Develop and document a plan to implement those changes
• Implement the plan
• Test the plan to ensure it works as intended

You’ll know you can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have successfully implemented the changes necessary to mitigate similar incidents in the future, as well as tested the plan to ensure it works as intended.

Establishing Processes for Notifying and Reassuring Users

• Establish a process for notifying users of an incident, such as sending out a notification email or text message.
• Create a website for users to visit for updates on the incident, as well as for reassurance that the problem is being addressed.
• Ensure that your notification and reassurance processes are compliant with data protection and privacy regulations.
• Test the effectiveness of your notification and reassurance processes to ensure that they are working properly.

Once you have established your processes for notifying and reassuring users, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Evaluating the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan

• Ensure that the incident response plan is comprehensive and covers all potential cyber security incidents
• Verify that the incident response plan is compliant with applicable laws and regulations
• Review the incident response plan to assess if it addresses the full scope of the organization’s cyber security incident response needs
• Analyze the plan to make sure that it will be effective in responding to cyber security incidents
• Confirm that the incident response plan is well-documented and easy to understand
• Verify that the incident response plan is regularly updated to reflect the latest best practices and technologies

You’ll know when you can check this off your list and move on to the next step when you have completed the evaluation of the incident response plan and are confident that it is comprehensive and up-to-date.

Reviewing and Validating the Cyber Security Incident Response Plan

• Review and validate the incident response plan to ensure it is comprehensive and covers all potential cyber security incidents.
• Verify the accuracy of the incident response plan by testing it in a simulated environment.
• Review the plan for any discrepancies, omissions, or errors.
• Ensure all stakeholders are aware of the incident response plan.
• Confirm that the incident response plan meets compliance regulations.
• Once the incident response plan has been reviewed and validated, it is ready for implementation.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Incident Response Strategies

• Create a detailed review checklist that assesses the effectiveness of the incident response strategies
• Assess the effectiveness of the incident response strategies by going through the review checklist
• Evaluate the performance of the existing incident response plan and its strategies
• Identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments
• Document the results of the evaluation of the incident response plan
• Once the evaluation is complete, review the document and check off the step to move on to the next step.

Identifying Areas for Improvement in the Incident Response Process

• Review previous incident responses to identify areas of improvement, such as response times or effectiveness of the response.
• Analyze the data collected during the incident response to understand where improvements could be made in the process.
• Address any gaps in the process or training needs for staff to ensure the incident response process is effective.
• Identify any technology or other resources that can help improve the incident response process.
• Once you have identified areas for improvement, make a plan for implementing the necessary changes.

Once you have identified areas for improvement and created a plan for implementing them, you can move on to the next step.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between a Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP) and a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)?

Asked by Ella on August 14th, 2022.
A: A Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP) is a document that outlines procedures for responding to a cyber security incident or breach, such as malicious software, unauthorized access, or data theft. A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a document that outlines procedures for recovering from an IT disaster, such as natural disasters or hardware failure. CIRPs generally focus on responding to malicious actors while DRPs focus on restoring systems and data following an unexpected event.

Q: How do I ensure my CIRP complies with UK data protection laws?

Asked by Liam on May 28th, 2022.
A: Drafting a CIRP that complies with UK data protection laws is an important step in protecting your organisation from cyber security incidents. To ensure your CIRP complies with UK data protection laws, you should review the applicable regulations and ensure you have policies in place to protect against unlawful processing of personal data. Additionally, you should have procedures in place for responding to and notifying authorities about any breaches of personal data that occur. Finally, you should have procedures in place to investigate any potential breaches and take appropriate action to mitigate any risks.

Example dispute

Suing a Company for Breach of Contract Resulting from a Cyber Incident:

• The plaintiff must prove that a contract existed between the two parties, and that the company breached one or more of its terms.
• The plaintiff must show that the company failed to follow the cyber incident response plan outlined in the contract.
• The plaintiff must prove that the company did not take reasonable steps to mitigate the risks and damages associated with the cyber incident.
• The plaintiff must provide evidence that the company’s negligence or failure to follow the cyber incident response plan caused the plaintiff to suffer damages.
• Damages can be either actual or punitive. Actual damages are the direct losses suffered by the plaintiff as a result of the breach, while punitive damages are meant to punish the company for its negligence.
• Settlement may be reached through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. If the suit goes to court, a judge or jury will decide on the damages the company must pay.

Templates available (free to use)

Cyber Incident Response Plan Irp

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