Incident Response Plan Checklist

1. Preparation

Establish an Incident Response Team (IRT) with defined roles and responsibilities
Develop and maintain an Incident Response Plan (IRP)
Create incident classification and prioritization guidelines
Implement and test incident detection and alerting mechanisms
Establish secure communication channels for the IRT
Conduct regular incident response training and tabletop exercises
Prepare incident response toolkits and forensic analysis tools
Establish relationships with law enforcement and relevant authorities

2. Identification

Monitor security alerts and anomalies
Triage and verify reported incidents
Assign incident severity and priority
Initiate the incident response process
Create an initial incident ticket or report
Notify relevant stakeholders based on incident severity
Preserve potential evidence
Document initial findings and observations

3. Containment

Implement short-term containment measures (e.g., isolate affected systems)
Change affected credentials and access keys
Block malicious IP addresses or domains
Disable compromised user accounts
Apply necessary patches or security updates
Implement long-term containment strategies
Document all containment actions taken
Continuously monitor for any spread or reoccurrence of the incident

4. Eradication

Conduct thorough malware analysis if applicable
Remove malware, backdoors, and other malicious artifacts
Close identified vulnerabilities
Strengthen security controls
Conduct vulnerability scans and penetration tests
Verify complete removal of threat actors from the environment
Document all eradication steps taken
Prepare systems for recovery

5. Recovery

Restore systems from clean backups
Rebuild systems from scratch if necessary
Apply all necessary security patches and updates
Reset all credentials for affected systems
Implement additional security controls as needed
Conduct thorough testing of restored systems
Monitor systems closely for any signs of reinfection
Gradually return systems to production

6. Lessons Learned

Conduct a post-incident review meeting
Document the incident timeline and response actions
Identify what worked well and areas for improvement
Analyze the root cause of the incident
Update the Incident Response Plan based on lessons learned
Implement improvements to prevent similar incidents
Share relevant information with industry peers or ISACs
Provide additional training based on incident findings

7. Reporting and Communication

Prepare an executive summary of the incident
Draft a detailed technical incident report
Notify affected parties (customers, partners) if required
Report the incident to relevant authorities if necessary
Communicate lessons learned to relevant internal teams
Update management on incident status and resolution
Prepare public statements or press releases if needed
Document all communications for future reference

Tip:

Remember the PICERL phases of incident response: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned. This framework can help ensure a comprehensive and structured approach to handling security incidents.

Note:

Incident response is a dynamic process. Be prepared to adapt your approach based on the specific circumstances of each incident. Regular training and updating of your incident response plan are crucial for maintaining an effective response capability.