Incident Management and Response

5 minutes 5 Questions

Incident management and response is the process of quickly identifying, responding to, and resolving incidents that could disrupt an organization's operations or compromise its critical assets. Key components of an effective incident management program include a well-defined process for detecting, reporting, and analyzing incidents; a dedicated team responsible for coordinating the response effort (e.g., an Incident Response Team); and pre-defined communication and escalation procedures. An effective incident management program can help minimize the duration and impact of an incident, ensuring that the organization can quickly resume normal operations and prevent a full-scale disaster.

Guide to Incident Management and Response Concept

Incident Management and Response is a crucial element within the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning domain of the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification.

Importance: The primary importance of Incident Management and Response lies in its role to quickly and effectively handle security incidents minimizing impact and maintaining business operations. Without efficient incident management, minor issues can escalate into major incidents causing significant business disruption.

What it is: Incident Management and Response is a structured methodology to address and manage the aftermath of a security breach or attack (the ‘incident’). The goal is to limit damage and reduce recovery time and costs.

How it works: The process generally involves five stages-Preparation; Detection & Analysis; Containment, Eradication & Recovery; Post-Incident Activity; and Review.

Exam Tips: When answering questions regarding Incident Management and Response, remember to:
1. Focus on the order and purpose of each incident management stage. Understanding the correct sequence helps in scenario based questions.
2. Remember, the primary goal of incident management is to minimize impact and restore normal operations as much as possible.
3. Keep in mind that not all incidents can be prevented, the objective is to manage them effectively when they occur.

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Question 1

You are the Incident Manager at a large organization, and you received a notification about a potential data breach involving sensitive customer information. What should be your first course of action?

Notify all customers immediately about the potential breach. Activate the Incident Response Team and initiate proper containment measures. Ignore the notification and wait for more concrete evidence. Terminate the employee suspected of causing the breach.

Correct Answer: Activate the Incident Response Team and initiate proper containment measures.

The primary objective should be to contain the incident, assess its impact, and determine the best course of action. Notifying customers or terminating employees may be appropriate later but not at the initial stage. Ignoring the notification is not a viable option, while software deployment or resetting devices is not directly related to the issue at hand.

Question 2

The Incident Response Team started working on the initial stages of a security incident. What should be the next step, once the initial assessment and containment are completed?

Update the company incident response plan. Conduct training for all employees on cyber security. Gather evidence to submit to law enforcement. Eradicate the root cause and vulnerabilities that led to the incident.

Correct Answer: Eradicate the root cause and vulnerabilities that led to the incident.

Once containment is achieved, the next step is to eradicate the root cause, remove vulnerabilities, and ensure further intrusions do not happen. While gathering evidence, training employees, or updating the response plan may be a part of the process, they should not be the immediate next step. Firing employees or closing the investigation is not a suitable action.

Question 3

A security incident has occurred in your organization, and you suspect an inside employee is responsible. What is the best approach to handle this situation?

Investigate the incident thoroughly while maintaining confidentiality and following policies and procedures. Send a mass email to all employees, warning them of potential consequences if the perpetrator doesn't come forward. Confront the suspected employee and demand an explanation. Immediately report the incident to the police.

Correct Answer: Investigate the incident thoroughly while maintaining confidentiality and following policies and procedures.

The best approach is to conduct a thorough and confidential investigation, adhering to the organization's policies and procedures. Confronting the suspected employee, reporting to the police, mass email warnings, disclosing details to the media, or terminating the employee without due process could lead to negative consequences and may not address the actual issue.

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