The incident response plan template NIST sets out the standard planning template for any incident response strategy planning.
So in this article, we will be learning more about the key components of NIST’s incident response plan strategy and components.
Who is the NIST?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, has developed another industry-standard incident response lifecycle. NIST is a federal agency that establishes standards and practices in areas such as incident response and cybersecurity.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is an acronym for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. They’re a federal agency in the United States that prides itself on being “one of the nation’s oldest physical science laboratories.” They work in all things technological, including cybersecurity, where their incident response methods have made them one of the two industry-standard go-to’s for incident response.
Four Key Components of Incident Response Plan Template NIST
Preparation; detection and analysis; containment, eradication, and recovery; and post-event activity are the four primary phases of the NIST incident response lifecycle.
I. Preparation
Preparation is the first step of the incident response process. This is where the incident response plan template NIST becomes necessary. During this phase, you gather all the information about your organization and its potential vulnerabilities, so you can respond effectively to any incidents.
II. Detection and Analysis
The detection and analysis phase is where you identify the scope of the incident and gather as much data as possible so you can properly respond to it.
III. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
The containment, eradication, and recovery phase are where you begin containing the threat, eradicating it, and then recovering your systems.
IV. Post-Event Activity
The final step is post-event activity, which entails all the steps you take to secure your systems after an incident.
These four phases are what make up an effective incident response plan template.
How an Incident Response Plan Works
So to get a better idea of how the incident response plan template NIST works, let’s look at a hypothetical scenario.
Scenario: A burglar breaks into your business and steals some of your computers.
Preparation: You conduct a risk analysis to determine the probability of a burglary happening. You also conduct a vulnerability assessment to see which computers are most susceptible to theft. Now you know where the burglar is most likely to enter your building and which computers are most likely to be targeted. This information helps you plan your security measures for the future.
Detection and Analysis: The next step is detection and analysis, where you identify that a burglary has taken place. Your alarms sound when the burglar enters the building, so you know that he’s there. You can then call the authorities and start documenting all the evidence.
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: When law enforcement arrives, they catch the burglar trying to leave the building with your computers, so they manage to contain him before he gets away. You work with law enforcement to eradicate all threats posed by this incident and then recover all of your stolen assets.
Post-Event Activity: Once everything is back to normal, you review your response plans for any improvements that need to be made. You may decide that it’s time to invest in better security equipment or hire more employees who are trained in incident response.
This is what an incident response plan looks like when it’s in action.
