Developing an Effective Incident Response Plan with CISA Framework
When a cybersecurity incident occurs, having a well-designed incident response plan in place is crucial to contain damage and initiate recovery quickly. At ThunderSecurity, we leverage the comprehensive guidance from CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) to assist our clients in establishing robust yet practical IR plans.
CISA recommends structuring your plan around six key components: preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery and lessons learned. Our methodology collaborates closely with clients to develop customized plans adhering to this proven framework.
Preparation involves establishing an IR team, current systems inventory, critical data identification and service level agreements. Identification emphasizes monitoring, logging and defining what constitutes an incident. Containment focuses on isolating impacted systems to halt damage spread. Eradication removes the attacker's mechanisms of persistence from compromised systems. Recovery restores normal operational service as rapidly as possible. Lessons learned incorporate improvements to prevent future related incidents.
Plan Development Process
We start with in-depth risk assessments, interviews and documentation reviews. Findings inform incident scenarios for the tabletop exercise where stakeholders discuss roles and response steps. Gaps identified drive final plan development with input from legal, HR and communications teams. Technical controls integration and documented procedures ensure readability, usability and compliance.
Template vs Customized Approach
Unlike generic templates, our approach tunes plans directly to each client's environments, priorities and policies. Every aspect from severity thresholds to contact lists are carefully vetted in detail. Custom plans facilitate smoother implementation versus adopting templates that may not fully address specific needs.
Testing & Maintenance
A living, practiced plan remains effective. We conduct mock drills and knowledge reviews to validate processes. Recent incidents continuously refine improved versions. Changes in systems or personnel also require updates. Outsourced maintenance assures ongoing readiness and compliance as threats evolve.
Incident Reporting for Accountability and Improvement
Comprehensive post-incident reports leverage aggregated findings to outline root causes, costs, lessons extracted and recommended enhancements. We analyze response performance against plan objectives and industry benchmarks. Feedback collected from personnel surveyed informs needed plan revisions to close known gaps.
