Security Incident Review Processes

My Cybersecurity Incident Response Checklist "Infection Case" 1. Detection & Initial Assessment: - Who detected the incident? (User report – AV – EDR – SIEM)? - What type of malware/infection is it? (Ransomware? Worm? Trojan? Fileless?) - Is it isolated to one machine or spreading across the network? 2. Containment (Isolate the Threat) - Immediately isolate infected device(s) from the network (via EDR or manually) - Identify other potentially compromised systems and isolate them - Disable or lock affected user/service accounts - Rotate passwords if necessary (especially for privileged/service accounts) 3. Investigation: - Review logs (SIEM, Sysmon, EDR, Event Viewer, AV logs) - Identify the initial attack vector (USB? Phishing email? Malicious website? Exploit?) - Trace attacker activity (Processes, network connections, dropped files) - Check for persistence mechanisms (Scheduled tasks, registry keys, services) - Investigate potential data exfiltration or C2 communication 4. Eradication (Remove the Threat): - Clean malware artifacts manually or via EDR/AV - Remove all Indicators of Compromise (malicious files, autoruns, backdoors) - Identify and address the root cause (patch vulnerabilities, close misconfigurations) 5. Recovery: - Re-image or restore the system from a known-good backup - Reconnect the system to the network only after confirming it's clean - Validate security configurations (EDR policies, firewall rules, GPOs, AV settings) - Ensure all systems are patched to prevent re-infection 6. Documentation & Reporting: - Maintain a timeline of the incident and response actions - Document all IOCs (IPs, hashes, domains, URLs) - Prepare an internal report (Root cause, impact, timeline, remediation) - Notify legal, compliance, or authorities if required (depending on policy) 7. Post-Incident Actions: - Conduct a lessons-learned session with the team - Update SIEM/EDR detection rules based on this incident - Update or create IR playbooks for future reference - Conduct proactive threat hunting for similar IOCs in the environment #Cybersecurity #BlueTeam #InfoSec #SecurityEngineer #SIEM #SOC #Checklist #DailyOps

In a recent discussion, the topic of event response in process environments came up. The group was a mix of IT, OT, and engineering roles and backgrounds. There was good input, with some 'IT-centric' perspectives, based on existing IRPs in place, focused on network security, isolation, segmentation, logging, SIEM, SOAR, EDR/MDR, SOC, IDS, IPS, etc. We widened the aperture, looking beyond Ethernet-connected devices like PLCs, HMIs, and Windows-based workstations and servers, addressing vulnerabilities and failures within the physical layer—field devices, instrumentation, and serial and industrial protocols (Modbus RTU, RS-485, HART/WirelessHART, PROFIBUS, and PROFINET, etc.) integral to safe and reliable process control. The significance of these layers can be common shortcomings in existing IRPs where security, IT, OT teams, asset & process owners, must converge in development of adequate response planning. Field devices (transmitters, actuators, sensors, and valves) and serial protocols represent the primary interface between digital control systems and the physical process. A failure or compromise at this level may not be detectable by conventional IT cybersecurity monitoring tools, more importantly can have cascading impact that takes place rapidly, degrading safety and reliability proportionately. Field-level anomalies frequently trigger, as mentioned previously, cascading impacts across multiple system layers. For instance, a malfunctioning RTD sensor feeding incorrect temperature values into a PLC could propagate through PID loops, triggering alarms or auto-shutdowns across unrelated systems. IRPs should consider PHA, SIS, process flows/lockouts, fail-safe, restoration sequencing/timing of process state. Resilience requires acknowledging the physical realities of field-level instrumentation, integrating vendor or component-specific tools and diagnostics, and aligning incident response with the deterministic and safety-critical nature of industrial processes. By addressing these gaps, engineering personnel, asset and process owners, in partnership with IT and security recovery teams ensure faster recovery, safety, productivity, and reliability, in the face of both cyber and physical disruptions.

In cybersecurity, technical skills get you noticed, but soft skills keep you valuable — especially when it comes to incident documentation. When I started writing up incidents, I used to just list logs and alerts. But that didn’t help anyone — not my team, not management, and definitely not future investigations. Over time, I’ve learned a better way: What Makes Good Incident Documentation? Clear Timeline: Start with when the incident started, how it was detected, and what steps were taken — in order. Plain English Summary: Write a short, non-technical paragraph anyone can understand. (Think: “The attacker tried to log in 4 times using a brute-force method.”) What Was Affected: List impacted hosts, services, or users — even if it's just “attempted access” and nothing was successful. How It Was Handled: Include what actions were taken (e.g., blocking IPs, isolating machines, resetting credentials) and who took them. Lessons Learned: Every incident teaches something. Did you improve a detection rule? Update documentation? Add a new alert? Pro Tip: Use consistent formatting. I personally use this structure in our reports: 1. Summary 2. Detection Method 3. Root Cause 4. Affected Assets 5. Response Steps 6. Outcome 7. Recommendations Why It Matters Good documentation: Makes handoffs easier Builds trust with stakeholders Helps train new analysts Supports compliance and audits Saves your team time when it happens again Have you seen a great (or bad) incident report before? Let’s share tips on how we can all document better. Because in security, clarity is part of defense. #CyberSecurity #IncidentResponse #SoftSkills #SOCAnalyst #BlueTeam #DocumentationMatters #IRProcess #SecurityOperations #InfoSec #WritingSkills

The Importance of a Legal and Operational Review of Your Incident Response Plan (IRP) In today’s interconnected digital landscape, the importance of a robust IRP cannot be overstated. As a lawyer and cybersecurity practitioner, I have observed that many businesses, particularly small and midsized businesses, either lack an IRP or have one that fails to reflect the actual risks their businesses face. 🔶 Why an Incident Response Plan is Crucial An effective IRP is your first line of defense when a cybersecurity incident occurs. It outlines the procedures your organization will follow to manage and mitigate the impact of a breach. Without a comprehensive and tested, your business may suffer severe financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. 🔶 The Importance of a Legal Review 1. Regulatory Compliance. Regulatory requirements related to AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly stringent. A legal review ensures your IRP aligns with applicable laws and regulations, such as SEC Risk Management requirements, GDPR, CCPA, the EU AI Act, and many other laws and regulations. 2. Liability Management. In the event of an incident, legal repercussions can be severe. A legal review helps identify potential liabilities and includes strategies to mitigate them, ensuring your business is prepared to defend against legal claims. 3. Contractual Obligations. Many businesses have contractual obligations related to data security and privacy. A legal review ensures that your IRP addresses these obligations, reducing the risk of breach of contract claims. 🔶 The Importance of an Operational Review 1. Realistic Scenarios. An operational review assesses the practical aspects of your IRP. It involves testing the plan against realistic scenarios to ensure that your team can effectively respond to an incident. 2. Resource Allocation. This review helps identify whether you have the necessary resources, including personnel, technology, and budget, to execute your IRP. It ensures that your incident response team is well-equipped to handle a breach. 3. Continuous Improvement. Cyber threats are constantly evolving. An operational review promotes continuous improvement, ensuring that your IRP remains effective in addressing new and emerging threats. 🔶 Conclusion In an era where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are ever evolving, having a comprehensive and up-to-date Incident Response Plan is essential. A legal and operational review of your IRP not only ensures regulatory compliance and reduces liability but also enhances your organization's resilience against cyber incidents. Don't wait for an incident to expose your vulnerabilities. Proactively reviewing and updating your IRP is a strategic investment in your company's future security and success.   Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP Technology Association of Georgia National Technology Security Coalition National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

So you’re part of the #GRC team at a mid-sized financial services company. One morning, you’re alerted that a key third-party vendor handling customer payment data has experienced a cyberattack. The vendor notifies your organization that an unauthorized individual accessed their systems, potentially exposing customer data. You need to step in immediately.. • Your first step is activating your Third-Party Incident Response Plan. Contact the vendor to get detailed information about the breach—when it occurred, what data was accessed, and whether the breach has been contained. This is where clear contractual agreements, including breach notification requirements, pay off. • Assess the Impact— Collaborate with internal teams to assess how this breach affects your organization. Did the vendor handle sensitive customer data? Were encryption or access controls in place? Document the details and escalate to leadership. • Stakeholder Communication— Work with legal and PR teams to prepare internal and external communication. Internally, brief senior management and customer support teams. Externally, notify regulators and customers if necessary, as required by laws like GDPR, CCPA, or PCI DSS. • Mitigation Efforts— Partner with IT and risk teams to prevent further exposure. This may include temporarily suspending vendor access, conducting enhanced monitoring, or requiring immediate remediation steps from the vendor. • Once the situation is contained, conduct a full review of the vendor relationship. Did they meet the agreed-upon security standards? Were there gaps in their controls? Use this as an opportunity to update your Third-Party Risk Management process. Key— 1. Always have a Third-Party Incident Response Plan ready. 2. Ensure vendor contracts include clear breach notification and remediation requirements. 3. Regularly audit vendor compliance with security frameworks like ISO 27001 or SOC 2. Read about Third-Party Risk Management: https://lnkd.in/emBzCRMW

Question of the Day: What is required under ISO 27001 Annex A.5.24 Information Security Incident Management Planning and Preparation? ISO/IEC 27001 Annex A has five controls that relate to Information Security Incident Management. A.5.24, Information Security Incident Management and Preparation is first and foundational. As we have all heard, it is not a matter of IF you will experience an information security incident, but a question of WHEN. Preparation is critical. Annex A.5.24 states that “the organization shall (must) plan and prepare for managing information security incidents by defining, establishing, and communicating information security incident management processes, roles and responsibilities”. As the image below shows, preparation includes policies, procedures (runbooks / playbooks) and Tabletop Exercises. An Information Security Incident Management policy is your starting point, defining at a high-level the roles & responsibilities, objectives, communications and commitment by leadership. Following the policy, Runbooks or Playbooks get into the details of the incident handling procedures. It may make sense for you to have both technical runbooks and management level runbooks.  There are many templates available online to get started, but ultimately each organization is different in their structure, processes and procedures so be sure that you review and make the necessary adjustments.  Runbooks should also be customized for specific types of information security incidents. Tabletop exercises allow you to “practice” your incident handling procedures in a safe and non-judgmental manner. It’s best to include both technical and non-technical employees (Management) in your tabletop so that various levels of the organization are educated about the processes and procedures to be followed and the decisions that will need to be made. Defining communications for during and following an information security incident is critical – Consider both internal and external requirements. Who is authorized to speak to the press? It’s also important to let your stakeholders (employees and others) know that there will be instances where communication must be limited or specific details withheld to preserve the incident handling processes and limit further risk. Learning from information security incidents is critical to improvement – whether from Tabletop Exercises or actual incidents you’ve handled. Lessons learned should be documented and incorporated into improvements to your processes, procedures or tools. The post incident report should be prepared including an executive summary for your top management. There is so much more that can be said about incident handling. What do you think are best practices, from either the Management level or the Technical level? #ISO27001 #EmagineIT

This Incident Response Playbook is designed to serve as a practical guide for handling cybersecurity incidents effectively and consistently. This playbook is mapped and aligned with recognized global standards and frameworks, including: 🔹 NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2 – Computer Security Incident Handling Guide https://lnkd.in/g649G-yP 🔹 SANS 6-Step Incident Response Methodology https://lnkd.in/giZzQgi2 🔹 ISO/IEC 27035-1:2016 – Information Security Incident Management https://lnkd.in/gbmgMZKj 🔹 ENISA Guidelines – Best practices from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity https://lnkd.in/ggYhvxmJ Whether you're building or refining your IR capability, this resource offers a structured approach to identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. #CyberSecurity #IncidentResponse #NIST #InfoSec #SecurityPlaybook #CISO #SOC #Compliance #GDPR #HIPAA #SecurityFrameworks #CyberResilience

Mastering Incident Response: Key Insights from NIST 800-61r2 Incident response is a cornerstone of a robust cybersecurity program, ensuring organizations are prepared to effectively detect, contain, and recover from security incidents. As I delve into the NIST 800-61r2 Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, I want to share a few critical insights that can empower teams to strengthen their response capabilities: 1️⃣ Preparation is Everything Establishing an incident response policy, assembling a skilled team, and having the right tools are essential first steps. A well-prepared team acts quickly and confidently when an incident arises. 2️⃣ Incident Lifecycle Framework NIST outlines a clear lifecycle: preparation, detection/analysis, containment/eradication/recovery, and post-incident activities. Each phase builds on the other to ensure incidents are handled systematically and lessons are learned for continuous improvement. 3️⃣ Effective Communication Matters Incident response isn't just technical—it’s collaborative. Whether communicating with internal stakeholders, law enforcement, or external partners, having pre-established guidelines for sharing information ensures transparency and security. 4️⃣ Lessons Learned Drive Growth Post-incident reviews provide invaluable insights. Documenting root causes, response effectiveness, and areas for improvement helps refine processes and build resilience for future challenges. 5️⃣ Prioritization is Key Not all incidents are equal. Assessing functional impact, data integrity risks, and recovery efforts ensures resources are allocated where they are needed most. The NIST 800-61r2 guide serves as an essential resource for organizations looking to fortify their incident response capabilities. Whether you’re building a team from scratch or refining an existing program, these principles provide a solid foundation. I’d love to hear your thoughts! What’s your biggest takeaway from implementing an incident response strategy? Let’s discuss this in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gBujaWtq Larry Moore Be the Solution 🔒 | Secure Once, Comply Many ✅ #Cybersecurity #IncidentResponse #NIST #GRC #RiskManagement #DataProtection #Infosec #ITGovernance #Compliance #CyberResilience #InfoSecLeadership