Incidentresponse

Incident response is the organized approach to detecting, analyzing, containing, eradicating, and recovering from information security incidents. Its aim is to minimize impact, preserve evidence, restore normal operations, and maintain regulatory compliance and stakeholder trust. An incident response program combines people, processes, and technology within an organization and is guided by formal plans, runbooks, and standards.

A typical incident response lifecycle includes preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review. Preparation covers policy development, training, tooling, contact lists, and playbooks. Identification and analysis assess alerts, correlate data from multiple sources, and determine the scope, severity, and potential impact. Containment seeks to limit spread and prevent further damage, sometimes by isolating affected systems. Eradication removes root causes such as malware or compromised credentials. Recovery restores services and verifies that systems are clean before they return to operation. The post-incident phase documents findings, updates controls, and strengthens defenses to reduce recurrence.

Organizations often align with recognized frameworks such as the NIST Computer Security Incident Handling Guide (SP 800-61) or ISO/IEC 27035. These provide guidance on incident handling, coordination with stakeholders, and communication. Incident response teams may operate within a security operations center or a dedicated cyber defense function and typically include technical responders, digital forensics personnel, legal and compliance staff, and public relations or communications officers.

Effective incident response relies on formal planning, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and procedures for evidence handling and chain of custody. A communication plan for internal and external audiences, including regulatory notification when required, is essential to manage impact and maintain trust.