Modern security tools are constantly improving in their ability to protect organizations from cybercriminals. However, despite these advancements, cybercriminals still manage to find a way to breach networks and endpoints. That’s why it’s crucial for security teams to not only have the right tools but also understand how to effectively respond to a security incident.
One resource that can greatly assist security teams in their incident response efforts is an incident response template. This template can be customized to define a plan with roles and responsibilities, processes, and an action item checklist. However, preparation for incident response cannot stop at having a template in place. Teams must continuously train and adapt as threats rapidly evolve.
The SANS Institute has defined a framework with six steps to a successful incident response (IR):
1. Preparation
2. Identification
3. Containment
4. Eradication
5. Recovery
6. Lessons learned
These steps follow a logical flow, but it’s important to note that sometimes it may be necessary to return to a previous phase in the process to repeat specific steps that were done incorrectly or incompletely the first time. While this may slow down the incident response, it’s more important to thoroughly complete each phase than to try to save time by expediting steps.
The first step in the IR process is preparation. The goal of this step is to get the team ready to handle incidents efficiently and effectively. It’s not just the incident response team that needs to be prepared, but everyone with access to the systems. Human error is often to blame for cybersecurity breaches, so educating personnel about what to look for is crucial. A templated incident response plan can help establish roles and responsibilities for all participants, ensuring efficient coordination.
It’s important to note that attackers are constantly evolving their techniques, such as social engineering and spear phishing, to try to stay ahead of training and awareness campaigns. Regularly updating internal training to reflect the latest trends and techniques is essential. Incident responders and security operations centers (SOCs) also need regular training, ideally based on simulations of actual incidents. This can help identify team members who thrive under pressure and those who may need additional training and guidance.
Aside from training, technology also plays a significant role in incident response. Logs are a critical component, as they make it easier for the IR team to investigate an incident. Using an endpoint detection and response (EDR) platform or extended detection and response (XDR) tool with centralized control enables quick defensive actions, such as isolating machines and disconnecting them from the network. Other technologies needed for IR include a virtual environment for analyzing logs and data and ample storage to house this information. Additionally, having a system for documenting findings from an incident is crucial.
The second step in the IR process is identification. The goal is to determine whether a breach has occurred and collect indicators of compromise (IOCs). There are various ways to identify an incident, including internal detection by monitoring teams or members of the organization, external detection by third-party consultants or managed service providers, or the disclosure of exfiltrated data.
During the identification phase, all IOCs gathered from alerts, such as compromised hosts and users, malicious files and processes, and new registry keys, are documented. Once all IOCs have been documented, the containment phase begins.
The third step in the IR process is containment. The goal here is to minimize the damage caused by the incident. Containment is both a strategy and a distinct step in the IR process. The specific approach to containment will depend on the organization, considering both security and business implications. Short-term containment steps may include shutting down systems, disconnecting devices from the network, or observing the threat actor’s activities. Long-term containment steps may involve patching, changing passwords, or killing specific services. Prioritizing critical devices to ensure they haven’t been compromised is also important during this phase.
It’s worth mentioning that investigation is an important aspect of IR and should be kept in mind throughout the process. While not a distinct phase, investigation aims to answer questions about the breach, such as who was responsible and how it happened. Thorough investigation is facilitated once the incident has been contained and relevant data has been captured from sources like disk and memory images and logs.
In conclusion, the ability to effectively respond to security incidents is crucial for organizations. By following a well-defined incident response framework and continuously training and adapting, teams can be better prepared to stop threats and restore normal operations as quickly as possible. Employing the right tools, such as incident response templates and technology, can greatly aid in the incident response process. Additionally, prioritizing preparation, identification, containment, and investigation, as well as thoroughly documenting findings, can help ensure a successful incident response.