How to implement an Incident Response plan?
Organizations should have a solid and informed incident response team in the event of a cyberattack or data breach. The incident response plan should include:
Preparation
Develop policies and procedures to follow in the event of a cyberattack. This should include well-documented resources, roles and training for all aspects of the plan, including funding and execution of training, hardware and software resources.
Identification
Establish a process to detect a breach and determine the point of entry to enable a quick response. IT teams may identify breaches using firewalls and intrusion detection systems. The team should also identify and analyze compromised assets and the scope of the compromise.
Containment
After identifying a data breach, it is essential to contain the damage and prevent further penetration. This may be accomplished by utilizing sub-networks offline or relying on system backups to maintain operations. It may also be necessary to integrate remote access protocols including multi-factor authentication, changing usernames and passwords, and protecting entry points with strong passwords.
Eradication
Neutralize the threat and restore internal systems to their previous state as soon as possible. Monitor the affected systems so that they are no longer vulnerable to subsequent attacks by updating security programs and removing malware.
Recovery
Fully restore and recover affected systems and devices to have the business up and running as soon as possible. Monitor for any abnormal network activity.
Learning
Evaluate current policies and procedures and implement any changes necessary to prevent future attacks. Analyze the incident response made by the team to help improve response procedures in the event of a future attack. Discuss and document lessons learned to identify weaknesses that may need to be addressed.