Do You Have a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan? Here’s Why You Need One—and What It Should Include
There have already been more than a hundred significant cybersecurity incidents this year. Many of these attacks were carried out against major entities that possessed considerable resources, which just goes to show that no one—not public utility distributors, government agencies, or even tech companies—has a totally impenetrable network. While there are ways to make it more difficult for attackers to infiltrate an organization, everyone should still devise a cybersecurity incident response plan in case their system fails.
What Is a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan?
At the end of the day, there’s no foolproof way to keep hackers from targeting a network. In the event of an attack, however, there are ways to contain the threat and, consequently, mitigate the extent of the damage. When compiled into a step-by-step guide, these containment strategies can serve as the foundation of the company’s cybersecurity incident response plan.
In simplest terms, a cybersecurity incident response plan lays out the proper way to proceed as soon as a potential threat is detected. Its primary purpose is to minimize the impact of the attack. Spelling out the steps every department should take following a breach will keep employees from making poor decisions in the midst of chaos that could worsen the situation.
The best action plans allow businesses to:
- Identify the nature of the breach
- Contain the attack
- Protect any sensitive information that was not initially compromised
- Patch the hole that allowed for the breach in the first place
- Comply with all applicable regulations along the way
- Devise and implement protocols for preventing similar breaches in the future
Who Should Have a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan?
Every commercial business, government agency, and nonprofit entity should have a cybersecurity incident response plan. As mentioned above, all organizations are vulnerable to hackers, regardless of their size, industry, or scope of operations. In fact, for those that are in business long enough, facing a cybersecurity threat is not really a question of if, but when.
Naturally, establishments that have a detailed action plan for responding to such threats—one that was not devised in the heat of the moment but, rather, in a calm environment—are able to ensure a much better outcome in the wake of an attack than those that don’t.
What Should a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan Include?
Every cybersecurity incident response plan is unique because every entity operates in its own way. There is some general information, however, that all plans should include. Examples include:
- The names, roles, and contact details of every member of the incident response team
- The steps for containing the attack, so the hackers’ access remains limited
- The protocol for sharing information about the attack within the company and with relevant third parties
- The steps for restoring the systems after the threat has been addressed
The easiest way to devise a comprehensive plan is by consulting a managed service provider that offers cybersecurity services. The right professionals will assess the network from all angles to identify any vulnerabilities that expose the business to hackers, so they can propose strategies for addressing them. Along the way, they’ll devise an incident response plan, so if a breach occurs anyway, the damage will be mitigated.
Protect Your Network with NOYNIM’s Help
If you want to protect your company from cybersecurity threats without taking on the overhead that comes with employing an entire IT department, turn to NOYNIM IT Solutions. Operating out of Colorado, we cater to small and mid-sized businesses across the United States. Our team is composed of certified experts who strive to provide enterprise-grade IT solutions that are as practical and reliable as they are affordable. To learn more about our Denver IT services, check out our website. To discuss your unique needs or cybersecurity concerns, reach out on our Contact Page or call (720) 524-8616.