Incidentmelding

Incidentmelding is a term used in some Nordic and Dutch-speaking contexts to describe the notification of an incident to the relevant authorities or stakeholders. It refers to the act of formally reporting that an event has occurred, rather than the full post‑event analysis or corrective actions that follow. Typical uses include security incidents, data protection breaches, workplace safety events, and other operational disruptions.

The primary purpose of incidentmelding is to trigger an appropriate response, enable rapid containment or mitigation, and ensure regulatory or contractual obligations are met. In many jurisdictions, incidents with potential harm or regulatory relevance must be reported within a defined timeframe to supervisory bodies, and in some cases to individuals who may be affected. The exact requirements vary by sector and country.

A standard incidentmelding generally contains core information such as the incident type, date and time, location, affected systems or people, a brief description of impact, initial containment or mitigation steps, and contact details for follow-up. It is often submitted via a standardized form or template to ensure consistency and traceability. Following the initial notification, organizations typically produce a more detailed incident report or investigation summary.

Governance and standards: Incidentmelding sits within broader incident management and information security programs. It supports compliance with regulatory frameworks (for example data breach notification rules under data protection laws, or sector-specific obligations under safety or critical infrastructure regulations), as well as risk management and audit processes. It emphasizes timely disclosure, accountability, and learning from incidents. See also incident management, data breach notification, and risk management.