Skip to main content

Incident Response

Definition

Incident response is the structured process by which an organisation responds to a cybersecurity incident: from detection and containment to recovery and root cause analysis.

An incident response process typically goes through six phases: preparation, detection and analysis, containment, eradication, recovery and post-incident evaluation. Each phase has specific tasks, roles and communication lines.

Speed is critical: the longer an attacker goes undetected, the greater the damage. Engaging an incident response retainer with a specialist like DEFION guarantees that an expert team is immediately available.

Good preparation includes developing an incident response plan, regular exercises (tabletop exercises) and establishing communication protocols for crisis situations.

Related terms

MDR (Managed Detection & Response) SOC (Security Operations Center) IOC (Indicator of Compromise) DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response)