Incident Response is the organized approach to addressing and managing security incidents. When a breach occurs, phishing succeeds, or malware spreads, incident response procedures guide the organization through detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. Speed and coordination are essential to minimize damage.
An incident response program includes a trained team, documented procedures, communication plans, and tools for investigation and remediation. Regular exercises ensure the team can execute effectively under pressure when real incidents occur.
CISSP Relevance
Domain 7 (Security Operations) covers incident response extensively. Know the incident response lifecycle phases, team roles, evidence handling for potential legal proceedings, and how to conduct post-incident reviews. The exam expects understanding of both technical response and coordination with legal, management, and external parties.
The definitive guide is NIST SP 800-61 Computer Security Incident Handling Guide.
Related terms: Security Operations Center, Threat