Cybersecurity Incident Response: Frameworks and Tools You Need to Know

Updated: 29 July 2024
Cybersecurity Incident Response: Frameworks and Tools You Need to Know

What is Incident Response?

 

Incident response, in the realm of cybersecurity, refers to the approach taken by organisations to manage and address cybersecurity incidents. It encompasses a series of procedures, strategies and technologies aimed at efficiently responding to incidents, mitigating adverse effects and restoring operations to their normal state.  

 

Types of Cybersecurity Incidents 

 

Cybersecurity incidents are events that pose a threat to the confidentiality and accessibility of an organisation’s data or assets. They often result from failed or inadequate security measures and have the potential to disrupt business operations. Common types of cybersecurity incidents organisations may encounter include: 

 

  • Phishing: Manipulates individuals into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware, typically through methods like emails, messages, calls, or social media. 
  • Malware: Refers to all kinds of malicious software, where the programs or codes are designed by attackers to infect devices, disrupt operations, or compromise systems. Attackers develop and utilise different types and variants of malware infections depending on their attack motives.  
  • Ransomware: Encrypts files or systems and demands payment for decryption. It is a type of malware that typically infiltrates devices through phishing attacks.  
  • Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks: Disrupt normal operations by overwhelming servers, systems or networks, making them inaccessible to legitimate users. 
  • Insider threat: Security risks posed by malicious or negligent individuals within organisations who have authorised access to systems and data. These individuals, whether intentionally or unintentionally, may misuse their access to disclose sensitive information, potentially exposing the company to internal vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. 

 

 

Why is Incident Response Important? 

 

In today’s digital landscape, where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and pervasive, incident response emerges as a critical part of an organisation’s cybersecurity posture. Effective incident response strategies not only act as a stronghold against the severe consequences of cybersecurity incidents but also strengthen companies' defences against future threats. By responding appropriately, organisations can mitigate the impacts, which often include data losses, financial setbacks, and reputational damage – key factors for maintaining trust with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors.  

 

 

How Does Incident Response Work? 

 

In general, incident response teams in many organisations reference their incident response steps to one of the prominent frameworks by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a federal agency in the United States that advances measurement science, standards, and technology. In Ensign, we refer to the NIST framework to guide our incident response strategies for ourselves and our clients. 

 

 

NIST Incident Response Framework

 

Preparation 

 

This first phase of the incident response lifecycle involves understanding the organisation’s risk profile and business operations to formulate an incident response plan. It requires collaboration among relevant stakeholders and specialists within the organisation to develop technologies and coordinate efforts to solidify the incident response strategy. The strategy will continuously adapt to evolving cyber threats and trends to enhance its efficiency and efficacy. Additionally, protocols are established to ensure compliance with legal requirements during a crisis. 

 

Detection and Analysis 

 

This stage focuses on the rapid and accurate detection of cybersecurity incidents through monitoring and analysing network traffic for any unusual activity or potential threats. Organisations may utilise advanced threat detection technologies to identify the security threat, prompting the company to act accordingly.

 

Containment, Eradication and Recovery 

 

  • Containment: Once the security incident is confirmed, containment measures are quickly implemented to prevent escalation of the threat. Infected systems or devices will be isolated from the rest of the network to minimise further damages as much as possible. Additionally, forensic data collection begins at this stage to gather evidence, ensuring the preservation of valuable information and insights in case of alterations or destruction during the incident response process. This helps ensure that forensic evidence stays legally admissible in court, especially important when pursuing legal actions. 
  • Eradication: With the threat contained, incident response teams then work towards eliminating it from the system entirely. Some examples of remediation efforts include removing malware and reconfiguring security controls to close security gaps and vulnerabilities. 
  • Recovery: In the recovery stage, affected systems and data are restored back to normal operations. This must be executed carefully to prevent misconfigured systems from worsening the situation. Organisations must also keep their Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) in mind to ensure timely restoration of vital services and operations. 

 

Post-incident activity 

 

The final stage of the incident response process involves thorough review and analysis of the incident to derive actionable insights and areas for enhancement. This includes examining the timeline of events, from the emergence and progression of the threat to the organisation's incident response performance. These insights serve as learning points for the team and organisation to refine their incident response plan, adopting better strategies to tackle such threats more effectively in the future. 

 

 

 

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Incident Response Tools and Technology

 

Throughout the incident response process, incident response teams utilise various tools and technologies to streamline workflow and remove the threat efficiently. Some common tools and technologies include: 

 

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) 

 

Early threat detection can be facilitated by IDS, a network security tool which monitors network traffic and systems for signs of malicious activities or suspicious behaviour. When such events are detected, they are flagged out to the organisation’s centralised security infrastructure such as the Security Operations Centre (SOC) or security team. 

 

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) 

 

A SIEM, one of the many centralised security tools available, analyses security alerts generated by network hardware and applications in real-time. It aggregates data from other network sources within the organisation to identify patterns, anomalies and potential cybersecurity incidents. Following this, security teams can prioritise their efforts on addressing the more advanced and severe threats.  

 

Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) 

 

SOAR platforms help streamline the incident response process by allowing security teams to set up playbooks which helps to coordinate the various tools and operations. It also automates manual and inefficient tasks for security teams to focus their efforts on the challenging ones to better tackle the issue at hand. 

 

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) 

 

EDR solutions aims to protect an organisation’s end-user devices by continuously collecting endpoint data to detect and respond to signs of potential security threats. It also provides security teams visibility into endpoint activity. 

 

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) 

 

XDR extends beyond EDR to analyse data across a variety of sources, such as organisations’ endpoints, network traffic, cloud applications and workload. The enhanced visibility boosts organisations’ ability to detect threats, enabling quicker response times for businesses when addressing cybersecurity incidents. 

 

User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA) 

 

UEBA solutions specialise in detecting suspicious activities within organisations by harnessing technologies such as machine learning and behavioural analytics. They often collaborate closely with other security tools like SIEM and EDR to provide comprehensive threat detection and response capabilities. 

 

 

Better Incident Response with Ensign 

 

Navigating a cybersecurity incident as it unfolds can be daunting and confusing. Even organisations that wish to prepare for potential attacks may lack the expertise to effectively plan and execute a response. 

 

With Asia’s largest on-site incident response team, Ensign supports organisations in their incident response operations. Beyond managing Digital Forensic and Incident Response (DFIR), we assist you through the chaos of a cyberattack. Our services include advising on threat actor interaction, crisis communication, regulatory compliance, and litigation, ensuring comprehensive support during critical times.

 

 

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