Incident Response

This week I dived into more about Incident Response. Incident Response refers to the actions an organization takes to believe its IT systems or data may have been breached. This process is crucial for mitigating the damage caused by cyberattacks and preventing future incidents. 

Just like any other task or goal done in a company there had to be a process. During this week in my classes, I learned an Incident Response Process. This involved the following:

• Preparation- This stage involves reducing vulnerabilities, defining security policies and procedures, conducting risk assessments to identify weaknesses, prioritizing assets and regularly updating systems to mitigate risks. 

• Threat Identification- The security team receives numerous alerts indicating suspicious activities. They need to discern false positives from real threats. Once an incident is identified, the nature of the breach is investigated, documenting the source, type of attacks and attacker's goals.

• Threat Containment- Rapid isolation of affected applications or systems is critical to limit the access of attackers and prevent further damage.

• Recovery and Restore- This phase involves restoring systems, recovering data and monitoring to ensure the attacker does not return.

• Feedback and Refinement- Post-incident, the response team reviews the incident to identify improvements in the process, enhancing the organization's defenses for future threats. 

It is important to follow these steps during a cyber attack/breach. There may be different ways to handle certain situations but these were the concepts I learned this week during my live class. There might be different ways to improve this process but I believe this is a great start.

While I may not be an expert, I believe that consistently adhering to a defined process can aid any organization facing a cyber threat. It's essential for there to be a standardized protocol for all employees to follow to safeguard the organization's assets. Yet, it's crucial to understand that following these procedures does not guarantee absolute security. Despite the application of these processes, there's always a risk of being compromised. These strategies are designed to reduce the likelihood of a breach, not to eliminate it entirely. The only method to ensure total protection from cyber attacks is to sever internet connections, though such an approach is impractical for most businesses.

Learning this subject more in-depth I had a critical takeaway. Which was the importance of clear communication channels within an organization. For a cybersecurity department to function effectively, it's vital that everyone knows their reporting lines. Knowing whom to contact for assistance or to escalate an issue is fundamental. This clarity is not just about having a point of contact but also about understanding the organization's policies on managing and responding to cybersecurity incidents.