Free Business Incident Response Plan Template
Business Incident Response Plan
Written by: [Your Name]
I. Introduction
This Incident Response Plan (IRP) outlines the procedures and responsibilities for handling security incidents at [Your Company Name]. The objective is to effectively manage and mitigate the impact of incidents, ensuring the security and integrity of our systems and data.
II. Purpose and Objectives
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To establish a structured approach for responding to security incidents.
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To minimize the impact of incidents on business operations.
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To ensure timely and efficient recovery from incidents.
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To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
III. Scope
This plan applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party service providers of [Your Company Name]. It covers all types of security incidents, including but not limited to:
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Data breaches
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Malware infections
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Denial of service attacks
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Unauthorized access
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Insider threats
IV. Incident Response Team (IRT)
A. Members and Roles
Name |
Role |
Contact Information |
---|---|---|
[Team Member Name 1] |
Incident Response Lead |
[Contact Information] |
[Team Member Name 2] |
IT Specialist |
[Contact Information] |
[Team Member Name 3] |
Communication Manager |
[Contact Information] |
[Team Member Name 4] |
Legal Advisor |
[Contact Information] |
[Team Member Name 5] |
HR Representative |
[Contact Information] |
V. Incident Classification
Incidents will be classified based on severity and impact:
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Low: Minor incidents with little or no impact on operations.
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Medium: Incidents causing limited disruption to services or data integrity.
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High: Major incidents with significant impact on operations or sensitive data.
VI. Incident Response Procedures
A. Identification
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Monitor systems and networks for unusual activity.
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Report suspected incidents to the Incident Response Lead.
B. Containment
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Isolate affected systems to prevent further spread.
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Implement temporary fixes if necessary.
C. Eradication
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Identify and remove the root cause of the incident.
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Apply patches or updates to vulnerable systems.
D. Recovery
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Restore systems to normal operation.
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Verify the integrity and functionality of affected systems.
E. Lessons Learned
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Conduct a post-incident review.
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Update the IRP based on findings.
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Train staff on new procedures or threats.
VII. Communication Plan
A. Internal Communication
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Notify the Incident Response Team immediately.
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Keep relevant departments informed of the incident status.
B. External Communication
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Communicate with affected customers or stakeholders as needed.
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Coordinate with legal and public relations teams to manage external messaging.
VIII. Documentation and Reporting
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Maintain detailed records of the incident and response actions.
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Complete an incident report within 24 hours of resolution.
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Store incident documentation securely.
IX. Incident Response Checklist
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Identify and classify the incident. |
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Notify the Incident Response Team. |
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Contain the incident. |
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Eradicate the root cause. |
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Recover affected systems. |
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Document the incident and response actions. |
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Conduct a post-incident review. |
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Update the Incident Response Plan. |
X. Plan Review and Maintenance
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Review the Incident Response Plan annually.
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Update the plan as needed based on new threats or changes in the organization.
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Conduct regular training and drills for the Incident Response Team.