Incident Handling
Definition & Scope
Incident Handling (IH): A structured approach to managing and responding to security incidents in an organization.
Organizations implement IH in-house or via third-party providers.
Event: Any action occurring in a system or network (e.g., email sent, mouse click, firewall action).
Incident: An event with a negative consequence (e.g., system crash, unauthorized access, data theft).
IT Security Incident: An event with a clear intent to cause harm to a computer system (e.g., data theft, fund theft, malware installation).
IH is not limited to intrusion incidents; it includes insider threats, availability issues, and intellectual property loss.
IH aims to identify, contain, eradicate, and recover from incidents.
Some suspicious events should be treated as incidents until proven otherwise.
Value of Incident Handling
IT security incidents compromise personal & business data, requiring quick and effective responses.
Some incidents impact a few devices, while others affect large environments.
Incident Response Team (IRT): Handles security incidents systematically to minimize theft and disruption.
Prioritization is crucial: Incidents with greater severity require immediate action.
Incident Manager: Leads the IRT (SOC manager, CISO, CIO, or trusted vendor) and ensures coordination and communication.
NIST’s Computer Security Incident Handling Guide provides practical guidelines for responding to incidents.
Quiz - Incident Handling
What is the main goal of incident handling? a) Prevent cyber incidents from happening b) Respond to security incidents effectively and minimize their impact c) Replace security teams with automated tools d) Monitor network activity continuously
Which of the following is NOT an example of an event? a) A firewall allowing a connection b) A user sending an email c) A mouse click d) None of the above
What distinguishes an incident from an event? a) Incidents involve intentional malicious activity b) Events are always security-related c) Incidents always cause financial loss d) Events require an immediate response
Which of the following is an example of an IT security incident? a) A server reboot due to scheduled maintenance b) A user logging into their account c) Unauthorized access to a confidential database d) A network administrator changing a firewall rule
Why is prioritization important in incident handling? a) It helps determine which incidents require immediate resources b) It ensures all incidents are treated equally c) It allows incidents to resolve themselves over time d) It prevents organizations from having to investigate incidents
Who typically leads the Incident Response Team (IRT)? a) A junior security analyst b) The marketing department c) An Incident Manager, often a SOC Manager, CISO, or CIO d) The CEO
What is the role of NIST’s Computer Security Incident Handling Guide? a) It provides legal consequences for security breaches b) It assists organizations in responding to incidents effectively c) It replaces the need for an incident response team d) It focuses only on physical security threats
Answer Key: 1 - b 2 - d 3 - a 4 - c 5 - a 6 - c 7 - b
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