Pre Incident

1. Construction of an incident response plan: The plan should encompass steps for detection, investigation, containment, eradication, and recovery.
2. Developing an information security policy to serve as a deterrent: Clearly outlining security measures establishes and promotes adherence.
3. Involvement of key personnel within the organization: Regardless of the organization’s size, it is crucial for key leaders to be educated on the significance of cybersecurity and prepared to act in accordance with the response plan. Leaders must comprehend the impact that an incident will have on their organization. The more knowledgeable they are, the more actively they can participate in a response plan.
4. Regularly conducting mock security testing and recovery exercises is crucial for organizations to stress-test their plans and train employees on proper response protocols. Relying solely on testing the recovery plan during an actual emergency can lead to serious issues and potentially increase the damage caused by a cyber incident. Shifting from a reactive to proactive stance can help organizations identify and address weaknesses or gaps in their recovery plan before an incident occurs.

Security vulnerability and compliance management involves monitoring and assessing systems to ensure they comply with security and regulatory policies. An ideal approach to security vulnerability and compliance management will allow you to develop consistent, repeatable processes across your entire environment.

Post Incident

1. Containment of the incident: Containment includes proactive and reactive measures. It’s easier to isolate infected devices from a network if they’re already separated from other devices and connections before an incident.
2. Embedding ethics and involving others beyond the organization: It’s crucial to bear in mind that all stakeholders of an organization could be affected by a cyber incident. Quickly inform legal counsel and relevant regulatory and law enforcement agencies. Seek assistance from external resources and exchange information about the cyber threat.
3. Investigation and documentation of the incident: Ensure timeliness and thoroughness; all pre- and post-incident actions must be well-documented. The investigation should focus on identifying the primary technical cause of the problem and any vulnerabilities that could thwart future attacks. Comprehensive documentation is essential for this analysis.
4. Development of a damage assessment and recovery algorithm: Organizations need to self-assess post-incident. While computers are the site of cyberattacks, they can also aid in recovery. Organizations can utilize the computing power, particularly artificial intelligence, for immediate detection and control of incidents.