INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN

What Is an Incident Response Plan?

Incident response explains an essential process by which an organization handles the after-effects of a data breach or cyberattack. This can include how an organization takes the consequences that come from the attack or breach. The end goal of an incident response plan is to limit the damage, reduce recovery time and costs, and minimize any damage to brand reputation. The first step is to define what counts as an incident so an organization knows when to take the proper steps to start the mitigation process. It is best to place someone or multiple people in charge of the response plan to ensure the appropriate action is taken. Examples of security incidents that can require the steps of an incident response plan include gaining unauthorized access to data or systems, denial of service attacks, and malware infections.

Benefits of an Incident Response Plan

It is vital to an organization to make quick and effective decisions to improve the processes involved with an incident or breach. Incident response plans establish specific roles and responsibilities internally and externally across the organization. Incident response plans enable organizations to act quickly and minimize any damage that could or has occurred from the incident.

Deficiencies of an Incident Response Plan

Although there are many benefits of an incident response plan, it must be properly implemented to be most effective. The incident response plan needs to be specific to the organization's business functions and be frequently updated to address new and upcoming threats and risks. It is important to cover all business units within the organization instead of paying attention to the most significant risk areas. When an incident response plan is established and implemented correctly, an organization can expect to see maximum benefits that will reduce mitigation costs, improve response times, and minimize brand damage.