How to Build and Test an Effective Cyber Incident Response Plan

Summary

A practical guide to incident response planning outlines team responsibilities, five response phases, preparation steps, and the importance of regular tabletop exercises and post-incident reviews.

Key points

• The guide recommends defining leadership and technical-team responsibilities before an incident, including decision-making, communications, containment, and recovery.
• It describes five phases: preparation; detection and analysis; containment; eradication and recovery; and post-incident activity.
• Preparation includes assigning team roles, selecting monitoring tools, and rehearsing the plan through regular tabletop exercises.
• Technical response steps include scoping the incident, isolating affected systems and accounts, investigating root causes, restoring from clean backups, and rotating potentially exposed credentials.
• The guide recommends reviewing plans at least annually, after significant organizational changes, and following real incidents.