Incident Communication

5 minutes 5 Questions

Incident communication is an essential aspect of the incident response process that aims to ensure timely and accurate sharing of information among stakeholders, including the Incident Response Team, management, employees, and external parties. The communication strategy in the incident response pl…

Guide: Incident Communication in CISSP Exam

What is Incident Communication?
Incident Communication is an integral part of the security incident response process in cybersecurity context. It is the act of articulating and conveying important information about an incident to all related stakeholders including the incident response team, other staff members, business partners, and sometimes clients.

Why is Incident Communication Important?
It ensures that everyone involved is aware of the situation and able to carry out their incident response responsibilities effectively. Clear, timely, and accurate communication reduces confusion, supports rapid response, aligns decision-making, and maintains trust by demonstrating transparency.

How does Incident Communication Work?
It typically follows defined processes and protocols and involves various communication methods such as meetings, emails, response channels, or automated communication systems.

Answering Exam Questions on Incident Communication:
You may face multiple-choice questions asking you to identify aspects or examples of incident communication, or questions that ask you to order steps or assess scenarios. Understand the scenario, apply communication principles and consider relevance and timing.

Exam Tips:
- Always think about clear, accurate and timely dissemination of information.
- Don't forget that communication must happen both internal to the organization (incident response team, IT staff, management, etc.) and potentially even externally (clients, business partners, regulatory authorities, etc.)
- Understand the necessity of preparation, like having a communication plan ready before an incident occurs.
- In case studies, remember that good communication contributes to effective incident management, whereas poor communication is often a root cause of incidents being badly managed.
- Be aware of the potential needs for confidentiality, especially when incidents might have legal or reputational implications.

Test mode:

Exam (Timed)

Practice (With explanations)

Start practice test

Question 1

A recent phishing attack targeted the CFO's email account. The organization wants to use the incident as a learning opportunity. What is the most effective way to educate employees?

Mandate all employees to change their email passwords Immediately terminate the CFO to set an example Demonstrate examples of phishing emails, explain consequences, and provide guidance on handling and reporting suspicious emails Create a billboard displaying phishing emails and consequences

Correct Answer: Demonstrate examples of phishing emails, explain consequences, and provide guidance on handling and reporting suspicious emails

The most effective way to educate employees on phishing attacks is by demonstrating real examples, providing explanations about the consequences, and offering guidance on how to handle and report suspicious emails, ensuring all employees have a comprehensive understanding.

Question 2

After an employee unknowingly installed malware on a server, which form of incident communication is best for alerting staff to avoid similar incidents?

Scheduling an immediate all-hands meeting An urgent company-wide email describing the incident Individually lecturing each team about the incident A security awareness campaign with relevant guidelines and information

Correct Answer: A security awareness campaign with relevant guidelines and information

A security awareness campaign with relevant guidelines and information is appropriate as it provides employees with detailed and accurate information to avoid a similar incident, while neither creating panic nor taking an excessive amount of employee time.

Question 3

During a suspected data breach, the security team discovers that an unauthorized user accessed a privileged account. What should the Incident Communication team prioritize?

Updating the company website with the incident details Terminating the employee whose account was compromised Informing stakeholders of the potential breach and steps taken to mitigate it Sending a company-wide email detailing the breach

Correct Answer: Informing stakeholders of the potential breach and steps taken to mitigate it

The Incident Communication team should prioritize informing the stakeholders of the potential breach and the steps taken to mitigate it. This ensures proper communication of the pertinent information without causing panic or miscommunication.

🎓 Unlock Premium Access