Incident response

Incident Response

Incident response refers to the process of addressing and managing security incidents in an organization. A security incident can be any event that has the potential to cause harm to an organization’s assets, such as data breaches, network intrusions, and malware attacks. Incident response is a critical function of an organization’s cybersecurity program and involves a well-defined set of procedures and protocols to handle different types of security incidents. The goal of incident response is to minimize the damage caused by the incident, restore normal operations as quickly as possible, and prevent future incidents from occurring.

The incident response process typically involves four stages: preparation, detection and analysis, containment, and recovery. During the preparation stage, an organization establishes policies and procedures for incident response, including defining roles and responsibilities, establishing communication channels, and setting up incident response teams. The detection and analysis stage involves identifying the security incident and analyzing its impact on the organization’s assets. The containment stage involves taking immediate action to limit the damage caused by the incident, such as isolating infected systems or shutting down compromised networks. Finally, the recovery stage involves restoring normal operations and implementing measures to prevent future incidents.

Effective incident response requires collaboration and communication between different teams, including IT, security, legal, and management. Organizations should regularly review and test their incident response plans to ensure they are up to date and effective in responding to new and emerging threats. Incident response is an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement to stay ahead of cyber threats and protect an organization’s assets.

Computer Security Incident

Each organization will need to define what a computer security incident is for their site. Examples of general definitions for a computer security incident is

Any real or suspected adverse event in relation to the security of computer systems or computer networks
The act of violating an explicit or implied security policy

Examples of incidents could include activity such as

attempts (either failed or successful) to gain unauthorized access to a system or its data
unwanted disruption or denial of service
unauthorized use of a system for the processing or storage of data
changes to system hardware, firmware, or software characteristics without the owner’s knowledge, instruction, or consent

Computer security incident activity can be defined as network or host activity that potentially threatens the security of computer systems.