Identify key personnel and external resources

Identifying internal and external resources is critical for effectively responding to security incidents. A well-defined list of key personnel and external support networks not only aids in quick mitigation of incidents but also ensures that the recovery processes align with legal compliance and best practices.

Best Practices

Establish an Incident Response Team (IRT)

• Define roles and responsibilities for team members, including incident lead, communication officer, and forensic analysts. This clarity ensures a coordinated response during incidents.
• Regularly update the IRT with training on the latest security threats and incident management techniques. Keeping skills current enhances the team’s effectiveness.
• Conduct regular drills and simulations to practice incident response scenarios. This helps identify gaps in the team’s response capability and strengthens overall readiness.

Create an External Resource Directory

• Compile a list of external contacts, including legal counsel, law enforcement, and cybersecurity experts, to engage during incidents. Having these contacts readily available speeds up the response process.
• Establish clear guidelines around when and how to contact external resources. This ensures that all team members are aligned and can act swiftly in an incident.
• Review and update the directory regularly to ensure contact information and resource availability are current. This prevents delays in critical moments.

Implement Legal and Compliance Frameworks

• Identify applicable regulations and legal obligations related to data breaches and incidents within your industry. Understanding these requirements helps guide your incident response actions.
• Conduct regular training sessions on legal obligations and implications during incidents for all team members. This builds awareness and ensures compliance.
• Engage legal counsel during the preparation phase to create plans that integrate necessary legal considerations and obligations into the incident response process.

Develop Communication Plans

• Create templates for internal and external communications during a security incident. These templates help streamline the process and ensure clarity of information.
• Establish a communication cadence during incidents to provide updates to stakeholders while maintaining transparency and trust.
• Include provisions for post-incident communication and lessons learned reviews to communicate improvements and maintain stakeholder confidence.

Questions to ask your team

• Have key personnel been identified and trained for incident response?
• Do you have a clear communication plan that includes internal and external stakeholders?
• Are external resources, such as legal counsel and cybersecurity firms, pre-identified and contracted?
• Is there a documented incident response plan that includes roles and responsibilities?
• How often do you review and update your incident response team and their contact information?
• Have you conducted tabletop exercises or simulations to test the response capabilities of your identified personnel?
• Do you have established relationships with law enforcement or regulatory bodies for incident reporting?
• Are there any legal or compliance obligations identified that necessitate specific incident response actions?

Who should be doing this?

Incident Response Team Lead

• Coordinate incident response activities and ensure alignment with organizational policies.
• Lead the incident response team during security incidents.
• Communicate with stakeholders regarding the status and impact of incidents.

Security Analyst

• Monitor security alerts and detect potential incidents.
• Conduct initial investigations and assessments of security incidents.
• Perform on-going analysis and provide insights for incident response.

Forensic Specialist

• Collect and analyze evidence related to security incidents.
• Document findings and prepare reports for legal and compliance purposes.
• Support recovery efforts by assessing the impact of the incident on systems.

Legal Advisor

• Advise on legal obligations and implications of security incidents.
• Ensure compliance with data protection laws and regulations.
• Assist in communication with law enforcement, if necessary.

Public Relations Officer

• Manage communication and messaging regarding security incidents to stakeholders and the public.
• Develop and implement strategies to mitigate reputational impact.
• Coordinate with media if necessary during and after incidents.

External Incident Response Consultant

• Provide specialized knowledge and support during incidents.
• Assist with assessments and remediation efforts.
• Offer insights from previous incidents and help refine incident response plans.

What evidence shows this is happening in your organization?

• Incident Response Team Contact List: A secured document listing all key internal personnel involved in incident response, including roles and responsibilities, along with external resources such as legal counsel and cybersecurity partners.
• Incident Response Plan Template: A comprehensive template that outlines the procedures for responding to security incidents, clearly defining communication channels and escalation paths for internal and external resources.
• Incident Management Checklist: A checklist to guide teams through the response process during an incident, ensuring all necessary steps are taken to identify, contain, and mitigate the impact of the incident.
• Incident Response Playbook: A structured guide that details specific response actions for various types of incidents, including contact information for external resources and legal obligations.
• Role-Based Access Control Diagram: A visual diagram illustrating the access control policies in place for incident response team members, emphasizing the importance of secure access to tools and information during incidents.

Cloud Services

AWS

• AWS Security Hub: Aggregates, organizes, and prioritizes security alerts from multiple AWS services and provides a comprehensive view of your security state.
• AWS CloudTrail: Allows you to record AWS API calls for your account, enabling security analysis, resource change tracking, and compliance auditing.
• AWS Lambda: Facilitates automation in incident response processes by allowing you to run code in response to triggers without provisioning servers.
• Amazon Inspector: Automated security assessment service to help improve the security and compliance of applications deployed on AWS.

Azure

• Azure Security Center: Provides unified security management and advanced threat protection across hybrid cloud workloads.
• Azure Sentinel: A cloud-native SIEM that provides intelligent security analytics and threat intelligence across the enterprise.
• Azure Logic Apps: Automates workflows, allowing for quick responses to security incidents with minimal manual intervention.
• Azure Monitor: Collects, analyzes, and acts on telemetry data from your cloud and on-premises environments, providing insights into your security incidents.

Google Cloud Platform

• Google Cloud Security Command Center: Provides visibility into and control over your security posture across GCP resources, helping you respond effectively to security incidents.
• Google Cloud Logging: Allows you to store, search, analyze, and monitor log data to assist in identifying and responding to security incidents.
• Google Cloud Functions: Serverless execution environment that lets you create event-driven applications that can respond quickly to incidents.
• Google Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM): Helps manage access to resources, allowing you to enforce security policies and respond more effectively to incidents.

Question: How do you anticipate, respond to, and recover from incidents?
Pillar: Security (Code: SEC)