Cybersecurity Incident Response

Small businesses are most vulnerable to Cybersecurity Incidents and Attacks and therefore need to prepare for them. The purpose of this blog is to provide  a cybersecurity incident response guide for small businesses. However, it is important to note that incident response plans should be tailored to the specific needs and risks of each organization. It is recommended that small businesses consult with a Virtual CISO (vCISO) to develop a comprehensive Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan.

We have outlined below a Cybersecurity Incident Response Guide for Small Businesses:

• Define the Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CSIRT) Roles and Responsibilities for your Business.

Small businesses should form an Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CSIRT) to quickly and efficiently address any cybersecurity incidents. The CSIRT should consist of key personnel from different departments, such as Leadership & Management Team, IT Team, Legal Dept, Human Resources Dept, and other areas of your business that are critical for your daily operations. Members of the CSIRT will be responsible for coordinating the response and recovery to any cybersecurity incidents and attacks.

• Identify your critical business processes, technology assets and data, and prioritize them based on risks to your business.

Identify critical business processes, technology assets and data by conducting an Incident Impact Analysis (IIA) to determine and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business operations as a result of a cybersecurity incident or attack. An (IIA) will help your business identify what resources are necessary to ensure continuity of your business operations. It helps to ensure that your critical technology, data and business operations are recovered, up and running as quickly as possible, minimizing the disruption of products and services to customers and other stakeholders.

• Develop an incident response plan that includes procedures for different types of cybersecurity incidents, such as ransomware attacks, data breaches, malware attacks, or insider threats.

The first step in developing an effective Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan is to identify the types of external cybersecurity threats, events and incidents (e.g. Ransomware Attacks) that pose a risk to your business and industry you operate in. These types of cybersecurity threats and incidents must be factored into your overall plan to establish response procedures for each incident type. This may include setting up a notification system, such as email alerts or text messages, so that key personnel are aware when cybersecurity incidents occur.

• It is prudent to test the Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan annually to ensure it is practical and still effective.
• Testing your Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan is an important step in ensuring that it is practical, effective and that your CSIRT is prepared to handle security incidents. Here are some helpful steps to follow when testing your Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan:

1. Define the scope of the test: Determine which aspects of the plan you want to test and what type of scenario you want to simulate. For example, you may want to test the response to a ransomware attack, data breach, a malware attack, or a phishing email.
2. Create a test plan: Develop a test plan that outlines the objectives of the test, the roles and responsibilities of the CSIRT, and the steps that will be taken during the test. Make sure that everyone involved in the test understands their roles and responsibilities.
3. Conduct the test: Simulate the scenario and follow the steps outlined in the incident response plan. Monitor the response to ensure that everyone is following the correct procedures and that the plan is practical and effective.
4. Evaluate the results: After the test, evaluate the results to identify any weaknesses or gaps in the Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan. Document the test results, develop lessons learned and use them to improve the plan.
5. Update the plan: Based on the results of the test and lessons learned, update the cybersecurity incident response plan as necessary. Make sure that everyone involved in the plan is notified and aware of the changes.
6. Test regularly: Test the Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan annually to ensure that it remains effective and that your team is prepared to handle cybersecurity incidents.

The Detection Step is the process of identifying and detecting potential cybersecurity incidents or threats. The goal of detection is to identify cybersecurity incidents as quickly as possible so that they can be contained and remediated before they cause significant damage.

Detection can be accomplished through various means, including:

• Security Monitoring of systems and networks: Establishing Cybersecurity monitoring for Endpoints, applications, systems and networks can help to identify potential security incidents, such as suspicious activity, unauthorized access attempts, or unusual network traffic.
• Implementing security controls: Implementing security controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), antivirus software, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can help to identify potential security incidents and prevent them from escalating.
• User awareness: Educating employees about cybersecurity risks and how to recognize potential security incidents, such as phishing emails or social engineering attacks, can help to detect incidents early.
• Security information and event management (SIEM): SIEM systems can be used to aggregate and correlate security event data from different sources, such as network devices and servers, to identify potential security incidents.

The process of investigating and analyzing a potential security incident to determine its scope, nature, and impact. The goal of analysis is to gather information about the incident so that the CSIRT can develop an effective response strategy.

• Determine the scope and nature of the incident.
• Assess the impact of the incident on critical assets and data.
• Gather evidence to identify the source of the incident.

This step is to prevent a cybersecurity incident from spreading and causing further damage to systems and data. The goal of containment is to isolate the affected systems or networks to prevent the incident from spreading to other parts of the business.

• Take immediate steps to contain the incident and prevent further damage.
• Isolate or segment affected systems and networks.
• Implement temporary security measures if necessary such as changing passwords

Eradication is the process of removing the root cause of a security incident and restoring affected systems and data to their normal state. The goal of eradication is to ensure that the incident does not recur and that your business systems and data are secure.

The eradication phase typically involves the following:

• Root cause analysis: The CSIRT identifies the root cause of the incident and determines the best course of action to remove it. This may involve patching vulnerabilities, removing malware, or re-configuring systems.
• Remediation: The CSIRT implements the necessary remediation measures to remove the root cause of the incident. This may involve updating software, removing compromised accounts, or restoring data from backups.
• Verification: The CSIRT verifies that the eradication measures have been successful and that the affected systems and data are secure.

The recovery step is about restoring normal operations and resuming business activities after a security incident. The goal of recovery is to minimize the impact of the incident on the organization's operations, reputation, and customers.

The recovery step involves the following:

• Restoration: The CSIRT restores affected systems and data to their normal state. This may involve restoring from backups, reinstalling software, or re-configuring systems.
• Testing: The CSIRT tests the restored systems and data to ensure that they are functioning properly and are secure.
• Communication: The CSIRT communicates the recovery measures to relevant stakeholders, such as management and affected users.
• Lessons learned: The CSIRT conducts a post-incident review to identify areas for improvement and to update the cybersecurity incident response plan as necessary.

The step will help to ensure that your business resume normal operations as quickly as possible after a cybersecurity incident. By restoring affected systems and data and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, your business can minimize the impact of cybersecurity incident on operations, reputation, and customers.

This is the process of documenting and communicating the details of the cybersecurity incident to relevant stakeholders, such as management, legal and compliance teams, and law enforcement agencies, as appropriate. The goal of reporting is to provide a clear and accurate account of the cybersecurity incident, its impact, and the measures taken to address it.

The reporting step typically involves:

• Documentation: The CSIRT documents all aspects of the incident, including the timeline, affected systems and data, and the response measures taken.
• Analysis: The CSIRT analyzes the incident to identify any potential legal, regulatory, or compliance implications.
• Notification: The CSIRT notifies relevant stakeholders, such as management, legal and compliance teams, and law enforcement agencies, as appropriate.
• Follow-up: The CSIRT follows up with stakeholders to ensure that they have the information they need and that any necessary action is taken.

Overall, a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan is an essential component of a effective Cybersecurity Program. By being prepared, having a plan in place and adequate security measures, small businesses can minimize the risks posed by cybersecurity incidents, minimize the impact of an incident and quickly resume normal operations.

Having a well-developed and tested incident response plan can help businesses reduce their Insurance Premiums by demonstrating to Insurance Providers that their business is prepared to effectively manage Cybersecurity Incidents.

Insurance Providers typically assess the level of risk associated with your business before providing coverage and setting premiums. The existence of a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan is an indicator to the Insurance Provider that your business is taking proactive steps to manage cybersecurity risks and reduce the likelihood and impact of security incidents thus reducing your Insurance Premiums and getting better coverage.

Request a Free Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan from IRM Consulting & Advisory.