Incident Response Policy
1. Purpose
Establish [ORGANIZATION]'s capability to prepare for, detect, contain, eradicate, and recover from cybersecurity incidents in a structured and effective manner.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all cybersecurity incidents affecting [ORGANIZATION]'s information systems, data, and operations, regardless of whether they originate internally or externally.
3. Policy
3.1 Incident Response Team
[ORGANIZATION] shall establish and maintain a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) with defined roles and responsibilities including: Incident Commander (overall coordination), Technical Lead (technical analysis and remediation), Communications Lead (internal and external communications), Legal Liaison (regulatory and legal coordination), and Executive Sponsor (decision authority for major incidents).
CSIRT members shall receive incident response training at least [CUSTOMIZE: annually] and participate in tabletop exercises at least [CUSTOMIZE: bi-annually/annually].
24/7 incident response contact information shall be maintained and communicated to all personnel.
3.2 Incident Classification
Security incidents shall be classified by severity:
| Severity | Description | Response Time | Escalation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical (P1) | Active data breach, ransomware, critical system compromise, ongoing attack | [CUSTOMIZE: 15 minutes] | Immediate executive notification |
| High (P2) | Confirmed malware, unauthorized access to sensitive data, significant vulnerability exploitation | [CUSTOMIZE: 1 hour] | CISO notification within 2 hours |
| Medium (P3) | Suspicious activity, policy violations, contained malware | [CUSTOMIZE: 4 hours] | Security Manager notification |
| Low (P4) | Security inquiries, minor policy violations, false positive triage | [CUSTOMIZE: 1 business day] | Standard workflow |
3.3 Incident Response Process
[ORGANIZATION]'s incident response process shall follow these phases: Preparation (maintaining readiness and tools), Detection and Analysis (identifying and validating incidents), Containment (limiting the scope and impact), Eradication (removing the threat), Recovery (restoring normal operations), and Post-Incident Activity (lessons learned and process improvement).
All incidents shall be documented in [ORGANIZATION]'s incident tracking system from detection through closure.
Evidence shall be collected and preserved following forensically sound procedures for all P1 and P2 incidents.
Post-incident reviews shall be conducted within [CUSTOMIZE: 5/10] business days of incident closure for all P1 and P2 incidents.
3.4 Reporting Obligations
All personnel shall report suspected security incidents to [CUSTOMIZE: IT Security/SOC/Help Desk] immediately upon discovery.
Regulatory breach notifications shall be coordinated by [CUSTOMIZE: Legal/Privacy Officer] within timeframes required by applicable law (e.g., GDPR 72 hours, state breach notification laws).
Affected individuals shall be notified as required by law, with notification content reviewed by Legal.
4. Compliance
Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all personnel within its scope. Compliance will be monitored through periodic audits, automated controls, and management review.
Exceptions to this policy must be documented with a business justification, approved by [CUSTOMIZE: CISO/Security Team], and reviewed at least annually.
5. Enforcement
Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or contract, and may result in civil or criminal penalties where applicable law has been violated.
[ORGANIZATION] reserves the right to audit compliance with this policy at any time, with or without notice.
6. Review and Revision
This policy shall be reviewed at least annually by [CUSTOMIZE: CISO/Policy Owner] and updated as necessary to reflect changes in the threat landscape, regulatory requirements, or organizational structure.
All revisions shall be documented with version number, date, author, and description of changes.
Policy Approval
Approved By
Title
Date
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