The first line of defence against security incidents

To prevent and respond to cyberattacks, companies must have an Incident Response Plan that should not only be developed in advance, but also clearly communicated to all levels of the organisation. And for each plan in place there must be a team capable of executing it. This is where it comes in the Cyber Incident Responder – one of the 12 key cybersecurity roles described by the European Union Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA). 

Extinguishing Security Threats: The importance of a Cyber Incident Responder

Putting out the fires of security incidents and ensuring the safety and stability of the organisation’s information systems – just like firefighters – incident responders must be prepared, able to act quickly and efficiently, and have the right tools and resources to effectively contain and extinguish security incidents.

Their role requires not only a combination of technical expertise and strong problem-solving skills, but also the ability to work under pressure and make quick decisions. Moreover, incident responders must also be able to communicate effectively with other teams and stakeholders, such as management, legal, and public relations to organise a productive reaction and reduce the consequences of a security breach.

A growing need

With the increasing complexity and interconnectedness of modern technology systems, and the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, having a dedicated and well-trained incident response team is becoming more and more important for organisations of all sizes. Indeed, by processing, analysing and evaluating incidents, the Incident Responder helps companies to quickly contain the threats, limiting the financial, reputational and operational impact. 

But what do they actually do?

The duties of an incident responder can vary depending on the size and complexity of an organisation. For example, when it comes to large companies outsourcing security monitoring and management, we often meet incident responders in the more complex role of SOC analysts, being responsible for monitoring an organisation’s networks and systems for signs of incidents or threats across IT and OT domains, including ICS, Automotive, IT and IIoT.

Generally, the tasks can be summarised as follows:

1. 1. Preparation. Incident responders must stay informed about the latest threats, and ensure that their organisation’s incident response plan is up-to-date and comprehensive. They should regularly train themselves and other employees on incident response procedures, and familiarise themselves with the tools and resources available to them.
   2. Detection. Incident responders are responsible for detecting security incidents as they occur. This may involve monitoring systems and networks, reviewing logs and alerts, or investigating unusual activity.
   3. Analysis. Once an incident is detected, the incident responder must quickly assess the situation and determine the nature and scope of the incident. This may involve gathering information, reviewing relevant systems and data, and consulting with other experts as necessary.
   4. Containment. After assessing the situation, the incident responder must take steps to contain the incident and prevent further damage. This may involve isolating affected systems, cutting off access to sensitive data, or taking other steps to prevent the spread of malware or other malicious software.
   5. Eradication. Once the incident has been contained, the incident responder must work to eradicate the root cause of the problem. This may involve removing malware, patching vulnerabilities, or taking other steps to restore the integrity of the affected systems.
   6. Recovery. Finally, the incident responder must help the organisation recover from the incident and return to normal operations. This may involve restoring systems and data, reconfiguring network settings, or taking other steps to bring the organisation back to full functionality.

Better (cyber) safe than sorry!

A truly inviolable company is a utopia: sooner or later, every business will face a cyber-attack. Therefore, while it’s vital that organisations have the right skills and technologies in place to defend against attacks, they also need a plan for when breaches do occur, as being unprepared can lead to devastating consequences: not only is there a risk that a compromised system will persist in such a state for an unacceptable length of time, but corporate assets may become the lair of persistent threats or, alternatively, the valuable data therein may no longer be available to legitimate users… As the adage goes, it is better to be (cyber) safe than sorry!