1.0 - Introduction
When a cybersecurity incident strikes, having a solid incident response plan can make all the difference between a minor hiccup and a full-blown crisis.
HighGround helps you to help your clients prepare their Cyber Incident Response capabilities by offering:
Free Incident Response Plans and Procedures to help get you started, or to let your client build their own plan without leaning too heavily on you.
Tracking of your last Incident Response Review and notifying you when the next review is due, using a rad/amber/green (rag) system and email notifications.
A Cyber Incident Response Review feature for performing these reviews within HighGround, in accordance with best practices.
Tip: To download our free Incident Response Plan and Procedure Templates, please read our Free Resources in HighGround article.
2.0 - Key Components of an Effective Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP)
Preparation: The foundation of a strong incident response plan starts with establishing clear policies, assigning roles and responsibilities, and ensuring that the necessary incident response tools are in place to quickly handle any situation that arises.
Identification & Reporting: Continuous monitoring of systems to detect potential incidents is key. Once alerts are triggered, it’s important to analyze them to confirm their legitimacy. Encouraging users to report suspicious or unusual activity helps expand your monitoring capabilities.
Triage: Investigate every reported incident—whether it’s triggered by automated systems or flagged by users. The goal is to determine whether it's a real threat or a false alarm, helping you prioritize your response efforts effectively.
Notification: Quickly alert key stakeholders within the organization and keep them updated throughout the incident. Regular updates ensure everyone can coordinate effectively and carry out their responsibilities in managing the broader organizational response.
Containment: Act swiftly to isolate affected systems to prevent the threat from spreading further. The faster you contain the issue, the less damage it can cause.
Evidence Gathering: Collecting crucial evidence is vital for understanding the root cause of the incident. This not only helps in resolving the current situation but is also invaluable in preventing similar incidents in the future.
Eradication: Once the cause is identified, eliminate it from the environment entirely, ensuring that any traces of the threat are fully removed.
Recovery: Restore systems to their full functionality, verifying that everything is secure before bringing services back online. This is critical to ensure that your recovery doesn’t introduce any new vulnerabilities.
Post-Incident Review: After the incident is over, it’s important to analyze how the response unfolded. This review will help identify areas for improvement and guide updates to the CIRP, strengthening the plan for future incidents.
Incident Reporting: Comprehensive documentation is key. An incident report should capture the full lifecycle of the event, from initial detection to post-incident analysis. This report can be shared with stakeholders and clients, providing transparency and helping to refine future responses.
3.0 - Best Practices for Maintaining a Strong Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP)
Regular Testing: Run tabletop exercises and incident simulations to put your plan to the test. These exercises help identify any gaps or weaknesses in your response strategy and ensure that everyone knows how to act when an actual incident occurs.
Employee Training: Make sure that all staff members understand their specific roles in the event of an incident. This includes training on how to recognize, report, and respond to suspected or actual cyber threats. Regular training keeps your team sharp and prepared to act quickly.
Continuous Improvement: A CIRP is never "complete." Continuously update your plan by incorporating lessons learned from past incidents, feedback from stakeholders, and emerging industry trends. This proactive approach ensures your response strategies stay relevant and effective over time.
4.0 - Uploading a Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP)
When you open the Incident Response Plan tile in HighGround, you’ll find three key sections at the top:
Incident Response Vision & Mission
Incident Response Plan
Incident Response Procedure
Each of these sections comes with a free, customizable template, provided by HighGround, to help you get started quickly and efficiently—giving you the foundation you need to build a solid and tailored response strategy.
4.1 - How to Upload a Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP)
To upload your Incident Response Plan to any of the sections above, simply follow these steps:
Select 'Upload' next to the specific policy where you want to add your plan.
Enter the Approver and Author names to ensure clear accountability and traceability.
Fill in the Review and Update Dates to ensure your documentation stays current and accurate.
Click 'Upload' to finalize the process.
Your plan will now be securely stored within HighGround, ready for reference and compliance purposes.
Note: Plans must be uploaded with either a link or a file, as these serve as crucial forms of evidence during audits or assessments.
5.0 - Completing an Incident Response Review
Regularly conducting incident response reviews is a cornerstone of a strong cybersecurity strategy. Here’s why it’s so important:
Identify and Address Weaknesses: Incident reviews offer valuable insights into what went wrong during simulated incidents. By analyzing these events, you can pinpoint vulnerabilities in your systems, processes, or security controls and make targeted improvements to prevent future issues.
Enhance Incident Response Processes: Evaluating how your incident response plan performed in real-world scenarios helps you refine and optimize your procedures. This ensures you’re better prepared for faster and more efficient responses when the next incident strikes.
Promote Continuous Improvement: A structured review process encourages a culture of constant growth. The lessons learned from each review can lead to updates in policies, procedures, and technologies, fortifying your organization’s overall security posture.
These are just a few reasons why incident response reviews are essential. Recognizing their importance, HighGround has made the review process as simple and straightforward as possible.
5.1 - How to Complete an Incident Response Review
To complete an Incident Response Review in HighGround, follow these simple steps:
Click ‘Complete IR Review’ to begin the review process.
Fill Out the Review Sections: The review consists of 8 sections, each with a series of targeted questions. Answer these questions thoroughly and provide as much detail as possible to ensure a comprehensive review.
Click ‘Complete’ to finalize the review.
Your completed review will now be saved in your Incident Response Reviews list, available for future reference, printing, or deletion.
Tip: When answering questions, you’ll find an option at the bottom of each section to add your own custom questions, allowing you to tailor the review to your organization’s specific needs.