🎯NIST Incident Response Framework
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides a structured approach to incident response through six core phases. This playbook follows the NIST SP 800-61 guidelines for effective incident handling and recovery.
Preparation
Establish incident response capabilities, policies, and procedures
Detection & Analysis
Identify potential incidents and determine their scope and impact
Containment
Limit the damage and prevent further compromise
Eradication
Remove threats and vulnerabilities from the environment
Recovery
Restore systems and services to normal operations
Lessons Learned
Analyze the incident and improve future response capabilities
🛡️Phase 1: Preparation
1.1 Incident Response Team (IRT)
Core Team Roles:
- • Incident Commander: Overall response coordination
- • Security Analyst: Technical investigation and analysis
- • Forensics Specialist: Evidence collection and analysis
- • Communications Lead: Internal and external communications
- • Legal Counsel: Regulatory and legal guidance
Extended Team:
- • IT Operations: System administration support
- • Network Team: Network infrastructure management
- • HR Representative: Personnel-related incidents
- • Executive Sponsor: Decision-making authority
- • External Vendors: Specialized expertise when needed
1.2 Essential Documentation
Policies and Procedures:
- • Incident response policy
- • Escalation procedures
- • Communication templates
- • Evidence handling procedures
- • Legal and regulatory requirements
Technical Resources:
- • Network diagrams and asset inventory
- • Contact lists and escalation matrix
- • Forensics toolkit and procedures
- • Recovery procedures and backup plans
- • Threat intelligence feeds
1.3 Technology and Tools
Detection Tools
- • SIEM/SOAR platforms
- • EDR/XDR solutions
- • Network monitoring tools
- • Threat intelligence platforms
Analysis Tools
- • Forensics suites (EnCase, FTK)
- • Memory analysis tools
- • Malware analysis sandboxes
- • Log analysis platforms
Communication Tools
- • Secure messaging platforms
- • Conference calling systems
- • Incident tracking systems
- • Documentation platforms
🔍Phase 2: Detection and Analysis
2.1 Incident Detection Sources
Automated Detection:
- • SIEM alerts: Correlation rule triggers
- • EDR notifications: Endpoint behavior anomalies
- • Network monitoring: Traffic pattern deviations
- • Log analysis: Suspicious activities in logs
- • Threat intelligence: IOC matches
Human Detection:
- • User reports: Suspicious emails or behavior
- • IT observations: Performance or system issues
- • Third-party notifications: External security reports
- • Routine audits: Regular security assessments
- • Media reports: Public disclosure of breaches
2.2 Initial Triage Process
Step-by-Step Triage:
Validate the Incident
Confirm the incident is legitimate and not a false positive
Categorize the Incident
Classify incident type (malware, data breach, DDoS, etc.)
Assess Severity
Determine impact level using predefined criteria
Activate Response Team
Notify appropriate team members based on severity
2.3 Severity Classification Matrix
| Severity | Impact | Response Time | Example Scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Business operations severely impacted | < 15 minutes | Active data breach, ransomware encryption |
| High | Significant business disruption | < 1 hour | System compromises, data access attempts |
| Medium | Moderate business impact | < 4 hours | Malware infections, policy violations |
| Low | Minimal business impact | < 8 hours | Suspicious activities, reconnaissance attempts |
🚫Phase 3: Containment
3.1 Containment Strategies
Short-term Containment:
- • Network isolation: Disconnect affected systems
- • Account disabling: Suspend compromised accounts
- • Service shutdown: Stop affected services
- • Traffic blocking: Implement firewall rules
- • Evidence preservation: Create system images
Long-term Containment:
- • System replacement: Deploy clean systems
- • Security hardening: Apply additional controls
- • Monitoring enhancement: Increase logging
- • Access controls: Implement stricter permissions
- • Network segmentation: Limit lateral movement
3.2 Evidence Collection and Preservation
Forensics Chain of Custody:
Data Collection:
- • Memory dumps from affected systems
- • Hard drive images (bit-for-bit copies)
- • Network packet captures
- • Log files and system artifacts
- • Database snapshots
Documentation:
- • Who collected the evidence
- • When and where it was collected
- • Hash values for integrity verification
- • Storage location and access controls
- • Transfer records and timestamps
🧹Phase 4: Eradication
4.1 Threat Removal
Malware Eradication:
- • System rebuilding: Clean OS reinstallation
- • Antivirus scanning: Full system scans
- • Registry cleaning: Remove malicious entries
- • File analysis: Identify and remove malicious files
- • Persistence removal: Eliminate backdoors
Vulnerability Remediation:
- • Patch management: Apply security updates
- • Configuration hardening: Security baselines
- • Access review: Remove unnecessary permissions
- • Password resets: Change compromised credentials
- • Certificate renewal: Replace compromised certificates
4.2 Validation and Testing
Verification Checklist:
Security Validation:
- □ No malicious processes running
- □ No unauthorized network connections
- □ No suspicious file modifications
- □ All security patches applied
- □ Security controls functioning properly
Functionality Testing:
- □ Business applications operational
- □ User access working correctly
- □ Data integrity verified
- □ Performance within acceptable limits
- □ Backup and recovery tested
🔄Phase 5: Recovery
5.1 System Restoration
Phased Recovery Approach:
Critical Systems First
Restore mission-critical systems and services
Enhanced Monitoring
Implement additional monitoring and logging
Gradual Expansion
Progressively restore remaining systems
Full Operations
Return to normal business operations
5.2 Continuous Monitoring
Enhanced Security Monitoring:
- • Increased log retention: Extended monitoring period
- • Behavioral analysis: User and entity monitoring
- • Threat hunting: Proactive threat detection
- • IOC monitoring: Watch for related threats
- • Regular assessments: Ongoing vulnerability scans
Recovery Metrics:
- • RTO (Recovery Time Objective): Target restoration time
- • RPO (Recovery Point Objective): Acceptable data loss
- • System availability: Uptime percentage
- • Performance metrics: Response time monitoring
- • User satisfaction: Feedback and surveys
📚Phase 6: Lessons Learned
6.1 Post-Incident Review
Review Meeting Agenda:
Incident Analysis:
- • Root cause analysis
- • Attack timeline reconstruction
- • Impact assessment
- • Response effectiveness evaluation
- • Cost analysis (financial and operational)
Improvement Opportunities:
- • Detection capability gaps
- • Response process inefficiencies
- • Communication breakdowns
- • Technology limitations
- • Training needs identified
6.2 Improvement Implementation
Immediate Improvements:
- • Policy updates: Revise incident response procedures
- • Tool enhancements: Improve detection capabilities
- • Training delivery: Address skill gaps
- • Communication improvements: Streamline notifications
Long-term Enhancements:
- • Security architecture: Design improvements
- • Technology investments: New security tools
- • Staff augmentation: Additional expertise
- • Process automation: Reduce manual tasks
💬Communication Templates
Internal Communication
Initial Alert Template:
Subject: [SECURITY INCIDENT] - Initial Alert
Severity: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Affected Systems: [List systems]
Initial Assessment: [Brief description]
Response Team: [Team members activated]
Next Update: [Time for next communication]
Status Update Template:
Subject: [SECURITY INCIDENT] - Status Update #X
Current Status: [Containment/Eradication/Recovery]
Actions Taken: [List completed actions]
Current Impact: [Business impact assessment]
Next Steps: [Planned activities]
ETA Resolution: [Estimated completion time]
External Communication
Customer Notification:
Subject: Important Security Notice
Issue Description: [High-level incident description]
Customer Impact: [Services affected]
Actions Taken: [Response measures]
Customer Actions: [Required customer steps]
Contact Information: [Support channels]
Regulatory Notification:
Incident ID: [Unique identifier]
Date/Time: [Discovery time]
Nature of Incident: [Category and description]
Data Affected: [Types and quantity]
Individuals Affected: [Number of people]
Response Actions: [Remediation steps]
🛡️G DATA Incident Response Integration
G DATA Detection Capabilities
G DATA security solutions provide advanced threat detection and response capabilities that integrate seamlessly with incident response procedures.
Key Features:
- • Real-time threat detection and alerting
- • Automated containment actions
- • Forensics data collection
- • Centralized incident management
- • Compliance reporting support
Managed Incident Response
Our expert incident response team provides 24/7 support for organizations using G DATA security solutions.
Service Includes:
- • Immediate incident triage and analysis
- • Expert-led response coordination
- • Forensics investigation support
- • Recovery assistance and validation
- • Post-incident improvement recommendations
⚡Quick Reference Checklist
Immediate Actions (0-15 mins):
- □ Validate the incident
- □ Assess severity level
- □ Activate response team
- □ Begin containment
- □ Preserve evidence
- □ Document actions
Short-term Actions (15 mins - 4 hours):
- □ Complete containment
- □ Conduct analysis
- □ Identify scope
- □ Notify stakeholders
- □ Begin eradication
- □ Plan recovery
Long-term Actions (4+ hours):
- □ Complete eradication
- □ Restore systems
- □ Validate recovery
- □ Monitor for recurrence
- □ Conduct lessons learned
- □ Update procedures