Having an incident response plan template can help small businesses and startups create and structure their risk mitigation strategies.
In this post, we will be listing down the important components of an incident response plan template. Moreover, this template applies to small businesses and startups. So those who are planning to create or update their incident response plan can use this template as a guide.
What is an Incident Response Plan?
The Incident Response Plan is a document that details how the organization is going to respond to an incident. It is a tactical document that provides instructions on what the employees need to do when faced with an incident.
Also, this plan aims to ensure that all employees are aware of what they are supposed to do during an incident. This is very important because it enables them to take the necessary actions.
For instance, if an employee comes across a social engineering attack, he or she will know how to respond to it. This also enables the organization to protect its reputation and assets.
Organizations need to have an Incident Response Plan because it can help them avoid any cyber security issues. If they have a clear Incident Response Plan in place, they will know how to deal with any threat or attack that might happen in the future.
Why Do Small Businesses Need an Incident Response Plan Template?
An incident response plan template can help small businesses and startups create and structure their risk mitigation strategies. These companies do not have an in-house security team and they lack the necessary resources to protect the company from any cyber security incidents.
So, having a template can help them prepare for any possible incident that might happen in the future. It will also enable them to safeguard the company’s assets and reputation.
Parts of an Incident Response Plan Template
An incident response plan template should include different sections so that it is comprehensive and complete. These sections should include:
1. Incident Identification:
This section includes all the possible incidents that might happen in the future and how the organization will deal with them. If you give an example of what kind of incident should be included in this section, it is better if you include data loss, spamming, phishing, denial of service, ransomware attacks, malware attacks, unauthorized access, etc.
2. The Incident Response Team:
This section includes all the details of the Incident Response Team. This team is responsible for determining if an incident has occurred or not. It also works on resolving the issue by implementing certain countermeasures.
3. The Contacts:
This section contains all the contact details of different people related to this response plan. It includes the contact details of all members of this Incident Response Team as well as other contacts related to security measures or legal issues or even customers’ complaints.
4. The Tools Used:
This section includes different tools that are used by this Incident Response Team to resolve issues related to cyber security threats or attacks. These tools are helpful when it comes to containing or resolving these incidents on time.
