Chapter 1 - Governance and Policy
IN THIS LESSON
You’ll learn to create your own incident response policy and procedure.
Template
Incident Response Policy and Procedure
1. Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to establish a framework for identifying, responding to, and recovering from security incidents that may affect the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of [Company Name]'s information assets.
2. Scope: This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party service providers who have access to [Company Name]'s information assets, including systems, networks, applications, and data.
3. Definitions
Security Incident: Any event that compromises the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of [Company Name]'s information assets, or that violates [Company Name]'s security policies or procedures.
Incident Response Team: A group of designated individuals responsible for coordinating the response to security incidents, including representatives from engineering, security, legal, HR, and affected business units.
4. Roles and Responsibilities
All Employees: Report suspected or confirmed security incidents to the Security/Incident Response Team immediately upon discovery. Cooperate with the Incident Response Team during the investigation and resolution of security incidents.
Incident Response Team: Assess the severity and impact of reported incidents and determine the appropriate response actions. Communicate with affected stakeholders throughout the incident response process. Document all incident response activities and decisions.
Information Security Officer:
Oversee the incident response process and ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and contractual requirements.
Provide guidance and support to the Incident Response Team as needed.
Report significant incidents to executive management and the Board of Directors.
5. Incident Classification: Incidents are classified based on their severity and potential impact to [Company Name]'s operations, reputation, or legal/regulatory standing, as follows:
Severity 1 (Critical): Incidents that pose an immediate threat to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of critical systems or data.
Severity 2 (High): Incidents that pose a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of sensitive systems or data.
Severity 3 (Medium): Incidents that pose a moderate risk to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of internal systems or data.
Severity 4 (Low): Incidents that pose a low risk to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of non-critical systems or data.
6. Incident Response Process
6.1. Preparation - Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all critical systems, applications, and data. - Conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and threats. - Implement appropriate security controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent incidents. - Establish and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, such as law enforcement agencies and incident response service providers.
6.2. Detection and Analysis - Monitor systems and networks for indicators of compromise or suspicious activity. - Receive and document reports of suspected or confirmed security incidents. - Assess the severity and potential impact of reported incidents and determine the appropriate response actions.
6.3. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery - Implement immediate containment measures to prevent further damage or unauthorized access. - Collect and preserve evidence for forensic analysis and potential legal proceedings. - Identify and eradicate the root cause of the incident, such as removing malware or patching vulnerabilities. - Restore affected systems and data to normal operations and validate the integrity of the recovered environment.
6.4. Post-Incident Activity - Conduct a post-incident review to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement. - Update the Incident Response Policy and Procedure and related documentation based on the review findings. - Communicate the outcome of the incident and any resulting changes to affected stakeholders. - Retain incident documentation and evidence in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
7. Reporting and Communication
● All security incidents must be reported to the IT Service Desk immediately upon discovery.
● The Incident Response Team will notify affected stakeholders of the incident and provide regular status updates throughout the response process.
● Significant incidents will be reported to executive management and the Board of Directors in a timely manner.
● External communication regarding security incidents must be approved by the Legal department and Executive management.
8. Training and Awareness
● All employees must complete annual security awareness training, which includes guidance on identifying and reporting security incidents.
● The Incident Response Team will participate in regular training and testing exercises to maintain their skills and readiness.
9. Policy Review and Maintenance
This policy will be reviewed and updated annually, or more frequently as needed, to ensure alignment with changing business needs and regulatory requirements.
The Information Security Officer is responsible for maintaining and updating this policy, with input and approval from relevant stakeholders.
