A Framework to Use for a Cybersecurity Incident Response

Modern security tools present a formidable defense against cyber threats that target organizational networks and endpoints, according to a Help Net Security article. Unfortunately, despite these advancements, threat actors continue to breach defenses. To combat cyberattacks, security teams need to have the right tools and incident response (IR) strategies. SANS Institute defines a six-step framework leading to a successful IR.

Preparation emphasizes educating all personnel to recognize potential threats and leverage an incident response template to establish roles and responsibilities. It includes outlining a specific response strategy and using an endpoint detection and response (EDR) platform or extended detection and response (XDR) tool with centralized control.

Identification detects whether you have been breached and collects indicators of compromise (IOCs). Balanced detection settings are crucial as too many alerts will result in alert fatigue, and too few will cause your team to miss critical events.

Containment is a strategic approach to minimize damage that takes into account both security and business impacts. It is important to prioritize critical devices and document the assets and threats that were contained during the incident.

Investigation, although not a separate phase, consistently underpins each step. It helps determine which systems were accessed and the origins of the breach. Digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) techniques extract vital information to build a complete picture of the incident.

Eradication involves completely removing the threat by cleaning disks, restoring them to a clean backup, deleting malicious files or registry keys, or reinstalling the operating system.

Recovery allows you to resume normal operations, with thorough checks for residual IOCs and analysis of root causes to determine if they still exist.

Lessons Learned, the final phase, is a review of the incident response process. Evaluation and adjustment are critical to make necessary improvements to your incident response plan, technology, and training.