Strengthening Cybersecurity with a Resilient Incident Response Plan

Written by Itzik Alvas, Entro.

As ransomware and phishing threats rise, having a robust Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (CSIRP) has become essential. Forbes notes that 2023 saw a 72% spike in data breaches compared to 2021, largely from compromised non-human identities as well as email-driven attacks, with the latter accounting for 35% of malware entries. Think of a CSIRP as your fire drill for digital threats: it’s less about “if” and more about “when.” Beyond just containing threats, a CSIRP is a blueprint for efficient recovery, designed to mitigate damage and ensure a swift return to normal operations.

What is a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (CSIRP)?

A CSIRP is a structured approach for responding to cyber incidents, providing detailed guidelines for handling breaches, ransomware, and other security threats. Its core goal is rapid detection, efficient management, and swift recovery, allowing operations to continue with minimal interruption.

Key Components of a CSIRP

1. Identification - Detect potential breaches through monitoring and analysis.
2. Containment - Implement steps to isolate the issue and control its spread.
3. Eradication - Eliminate the cause, whether by revoking access, patching vulnerabilities, or removing malicious files.
4. Recovery - Restore normal operations securely and prevent recurrence.
5. Post-Incident Review - Evaluate responses to refine future strategies.

Importance of a CSIRP

A CSIRP ensures that organizations meet regulatory standards, minimize operational disruptions, and maintain a clear action plan for coordinated, efficient responses. This helps reduce overall impact, and through post-incident analysis, organizations can continuously improve response strategies to keep pace with new threats.

NIST Incident Response Lifecycle

The NIST framework guides effective incident response through four phases:

1. Preparation: Build a solid foundation with teams, resources, and training.
2. Detection and Analysis: Monitor for common attack vectors like exposed non-human identities, removable media, or phishing emails.
3. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: Isolate the issue, remove its root cause, and safely restore operations.
4. Post-Incident Activity: Review and document actions to prevent future incidents.

A CSIRP should be reviewed quarterly and updated after any major incident, regulatory change, or organizational shift.

Structuring an Incident Response Team

An incident response plan’s effectiveness relies on its incident response team (IRT), with several models suited to different organizational needs:

• Centralized IRT: A single team handles all incidents across the organization, ideal for smaller companies, offering streamlined response efforts.
• Distributed IRT: In larger organizations, multiple specialized teams manage distinct response stages, like detection and containment, enhancing response depth and efficiency.
• Coordinating IRT: This advisory team supports but does not directly control incident response, a model beneficial for large, complex organizations needing cross-team collaboration.

Case Example: Secrets Exposure Incident

Scenario: Imagine an exposed non-human identity, such as an API key, leads to a data breach.

1. Readiness Check: The organization’s CSIRP is in place, complete with a trained team, a non-human identity management platform, SIEM, and EDR tools. Employees are regularly trained on identity management.
2. Threat Detected: A developer unintentionally creates an unsecured AWS S3 bucket containing sensitive non-human identity data. An identity security tool detects this and triggers an alert.
3. Rapid Response: The incident response team isolates the bucket and removes the exposed identity, rotating or revoking access as necessary. They alert stakeholders and initiate corrective actions.
4. Post-Incident Analysis: The team analyzes the incident, enhances the CSIRP, and adds training to prevent similar breaches, documenting findings for future use.

This structured approach highlights the proactive and reactive strengths of a robust CSIRP.

By equipping your organization with a robust, adaptable CSIRP, you’re not just protecting assets—you’re ensuring resilience and swift recovery from any digital crisis.