Incident Response Playbook

Preparation Phase

Team Structure and Roles

Incident Commander

• Responsibilities: Overall response coordination and decision-making
• Authority: Resource allocation and external communication approval
• Skills Required: Leadership, communication, technical understanding
• Contact Information: 24/7 availability with multiple contact methods

Security Analyst

• Responsibilities: Technical investigation and analysis
• Tasks: Log analysis, forensic examination, threat assessment
• Tools: SIEM, forensic software, analysis platforms
• Expertise: Malware analysis, network forensics, system administration

Communications Lead

• Responsibilities: Internal and external communications
• Stakeholders: Management, legal, customers, media, regulators
• Templates: Pre-approved communication templates
• Channels: Multiple communication methods and backup systems

Legal Counsel

• Responsibilities: Legal and regulatory compliance
• Areas: Data breach laws, evidence handling, regulatory requirements
• Contacts: External legal firms, regulatory bodies
• Documentation: Legal hold procedures, compliance checklists

Tools and Resources

Incident Response Toolkit

• Forensic Imaging: dd, FTK Imager, EnCase
• Memory Analysis: Volatility, Rekall, WinPmem
• Network Analysis: Wireshark, tcpdump, NetworkMiner
• Malware Analysis: IDA Pro, Ghidra, Cuckoo Sandbox

Communication Systems

• Primary: Secure messaging platform (Signal, Element)
• Secondary: Conference bridge with dial-in numbers
• Emergency: Satellite phones for critical situations
• Documentation: Shared workspace for real-time collaboration

Detection and Analysis

Initial Detection Sources

Security Monitoring

• SIEM Alerts: Correlation rules and anomaly detection
• IDS/IPS: Network intrusion detection systems
• EDR: Endpoint detection and response platforms
• Log Analysis: Centralized logging and analysis

User Reports

• Phishing Reports: Suspicious email notifications
• System Issues: Performance problems or unusual behavior
• Data Concerns: Unauthorized access or data exposure
• Social Engineering: Suspicious phone calls or requests

Triage Process

Initial Assessment (15 minutes)

1. Verify the Incident: Confirm legitimate security event
2. Classify Severity: Use predefined severity matrix
3. Assign Resources: Allocate appropriate team members
4. Establish Timeline: Set initial response milestones

Severity Classification

• Critical: System compromise, data breach, service outage
• High: Attempted breach, malware infection, policy violation
• Medium: Suspicious activity, minor security event
• Low: False positive, informational alert

Evidence Collection

Digital Forensics

```bash

Create forensic image

dd if=/dev/sda of=/mnt/evidence/disk_image.dd bs=4096 conv=noerror,sync

Calculate hash for integrity

sha256sum /mnt/evidence/disk_image.dd > /mnt/evidence/disk_image.sha256

Memory dump acquisition

sudo ./linpmem-2.1.post4 /mnt/evidence/memory.aff4

Network packet capture

tcpdump -i eth0 -w /mnt/evidence/network_capture.pcap
```

Chain of Custody

• Documentation: Detailed evidence handling log
• Storage: Secure, tamper-evident storage
• Access Control: Limited access with audit trail
• Transportation: Secure transfer procedures

Containment, Eradication, and Recovery

Short-term Containment

Network Isolation

• System Quarantine: Isolate affected systems from network
• Network Segmentation: Implement additional network controls
• Access Restriction: Disable compromised accounts
• Traffic Blocking: Block malicious IP addresses and domains

Evidence Preservation

```bash

Create system snapshot

virsh snapshot-create-as vm_name snapshot_name

Preserve volatile data

ps aux > /evidence/running_processes.txt
netstat -tulpn > /evidence/network_connections.txt
lsof > /evidence/open_files.txt
```

Long-term Containment

System Hardening

• Patch Management: Apply security updates
• Configuration Changes: Implement security configurations
• Access Controls: Strengthen authentication and authorization
• Monitoring Enhancement: Increase logging and monitoring

Threat Intelligence

• IOC Analysis: Indicators of compromise research
• Attribution: Threat actor identification
• TTPs: Tactics, techniques, and procedures analysis
• Threat Landscape: Current threat environment assessment

Eradication

Malware Removal

```bash

Scan for malware

clamscan -r --infected --remove /

Remove persistence mechanisms

crontab -l | grep -v malicious_script | crontab -
systemctl disable malicious_service
```

Vulnerability Remediation

• Patch Installation: Apply security patches
• Configuration Fixes: Correct misconfigurations
• Access Revocation: Remove unauthorized access
• System Rebuilding: Complete system reconstruction if necessary

Recovery

System Restoration

• Clean Backups: Restore from verified clean backups
• System Validation: Verify system integrity and functionality
• Gradual Restoration: Phased return to normal operations
• Monitoring: Enhanced monitoring during recovery phase

Business Continuity

• Service Restoration: Prioritize critical business functions
• User Communication: Inform users of service status
• Performance Monitoring: Ensure system performance
• Backup Verification: Confirm backup system functionality

Communication and Documentation

Internal Communication

Stakeholder Notifications

• Management: Executive briefings and status updates
• IT Teams: Technical coordination and resource allocation
• Business Units: Impact assessment and recovery planning
• Legal/Compliance: Regulatory and legal implications

Communication Templates

```
INCIDENT NOTIFICATION
Incident ID: INC-2024-001
Severity: HIGH
Status: ACTIVE
Summary: Suspected malware infection on critical server
Impact: Email services degraded
Actions: Containment in progress, investigation ongoing
Next Update: 2 hours
Contact: incident-commander@company.com
```

External Communication

Regulatory Reporting

• Timeline Requirements: Notification deadlines
• Required Information: Specific data elements
• Submission Methods: Approved reporting channels
• Follow-up Requirements: Additional reporting obligations

Customer Notification

• Breach Notification: Data breach disclosure requirements
• Service Impact: Service availability and performance
• Remediation Steps: Actions taken to address incident
• Prevention Measures: Steps to prevent recurrence

Post-Incident Activities

Lessons Learned

After-Action Review

• Timeline Analysis: Detailed incident timeline
• Response Effectiveness: What worked well
• Improvement Areas: What could be improved
• Resource Adequacy: Staffing and tool effectiveness

Process Improvements

• Playbook Updates: Revise procedures based on experience
• Tool Enhancements: Improve detection and response capabilities
• Training Needs: Identify skill gaps and training requirements
• Communication Improvements: Enhance notification procedures

Metrics and KPIs

Response Metrics

• Mean Time to Detection (MTTD): Average time to identify incidents
• Mean Time to Response (MTTR): Average time to begin response
• Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR): Average time to restore services
• False Positive Rate: Percentage of false alarms

Effectiveness Metrics

• Containment Success: Percentage of successful containments
• Recovery Time: Time to full operational recovery
• Cost Impact: Financial impact of incidents
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Internal and external satisfaction ratings

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

Data Breach Laws

• GDPR: European Union data protection regulation
• CCPA: California Consumer Privacy Act
• HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• SOX: Sarbanes-Oxley Act requirements

Evidence Handling

• Chain of Custody: Proper evidence documentation
• Legal Hold: Preservation of relevant documents
• Expert Testimony: Preparation for legal proceedings
• Disclosure Requirements: Legal and regulatory disclosure obligations

Conclusion

Effective incident response requires preparation, coordination, and continuous improvement. This playbook provides a framework for responding to security incidents while ensuring legal compliance and business continuity.