---
title: "Security Incident Response Procedures"
description: "Comprehensive guide to NIST-based incident response, forensics, and automated response"
keywords: ["incident response", "security operations", "NIST SP 800-61", "MITRE ATT&CK", "SOAR"]
category: "security"
---

The NIST SP 800-61 framework provides a comprehensive approach to security incident response, defining four key phases: preparation, identification, containment/eradication, and recovery. In the preparation phase, organizations should establish an incident response plan, train personnel, and test procedures through tabletop exercises and red team assessments. The identification phase involves rapidly detecting and analyzing potential incidents, correlating alerts from security tools like SIEM version 7.2 and EDR version 5.1.

During the containment phase, organizations must act quickly to stop the bleeding and limit the scope of an attack. Common containment strategies include network segmentation using Cisco switch config 15.2(2)E5, system quarantine or shutdown, and service/application restart. Forensic imaging of affected systems is critical, preserving evidence for later analysis while following strict chain of custody procedures documented in the incident response plan. Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) must be extracted and correlated against the MITRE ATT&CK framework version 12.0 to understand the threat actor's tactics, techniques, and procedures.

In the recovery phase, organizations work to restore normal operations, identify and remediate root causes, and document lessons learned. Automated response playbooks, triggered by SIEM alerts and orchestrated through a SOAR platform like Splunk SOAR version 4.9, can accelerate containment and recovery by executing standardized workflows. These playbooks map directly to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, executing commands like "crowdstrike-falcon host-isolation-add --device-id ABC123" to contain compromised endpoints.

The post-incident review is a critical step, allowing the organization to assess the effectiveness of the incident response plan, identify areas for improvement, and update threat intelligence. Findings from this review should be incorporated into future preparation activities, creating a continuous improvement loop. By following the NIST SP 800-61 framework and leveraging the latest security automation and orchestration tools, organizations can build a robust and resilient incident response capability to protect against evolving cyber threats.Building on the NIST SP 800-61 framework, organizations should also consider incorporating the Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis to enhance their incident response capabilities. This model provides a structured approach to understanding the key elements of an attack - the adversary, infrastructure, victim, and capabilities. By mapping these elements, incident responders can better identify patterns, relationships, and opportunities for disruption.

Extracting and analyzing forensic artifacts is a critical component of the incident response process. Tools like FTK Imager version 4.5 and EnCase Forensic version 8.07 can be used to create forensic images of affected systems, preserving data in a tamper-evident format. These images can then be analyzed using specialized forensic software to uncover evidence of the attacker's activities, including file metadata, network traffic logs, and registry changes. Maintaining a strict chain of custody is essential to ensure the admissibility of this evidence in legal proceedings.

Integrating the MITRE ATT&CK framework into the incident response process allows organizations to better understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors. By mapping observed IOCs and attacker behaviors to the MITRE ATT&CK matrix, incident responders can identify potential gaps in their security controls, prioritize remediation efforts, and develop more targeted threat hunting strategies. This knowledge can also be used to enhance detection and prevention capabilities, improving the organization's overall security posture.

Automated response playbooks, powered by SOAR platforms, can significantly streamline and accelerate the incident response process. These playbooks can be triggered by specific SIEM alerts or IOCs, and can execute a series of predefined actions, such as isolating compromised hosts, blocking malicious IP addresses, or triggering forensic data collection. By automating these repetitive tasks, organizations can free up their security teams to focus on more complex and strategic activities, while ensuring a consistent and efficient response to security incidents.Post-incident review is a critical component of the security incident response process, allowing organizations to evaluate the effectiveness of their procedures and identify areas for improvement. This review should examine all aspects of the incident response, from the initial detection and analysis to the final recovery and remediation efforts. Key areas of focus should include the timeliness and accuracy of the incident identification, the efficacy of the containment and eradication strategies, the completeness of the forensic data collection, and the overall coordination and communication throughout the incident response lifecycle.

By conducting a thorough post-incident review, organizations can capture valuable lessons learned and incorporate them into future updates to their incident response plan. This may include revising detection and analysis procedures, enhancing containment and recovery capabilities, improving forensic data collection and preservation, or strengthening cross-functional collaboration and information sharing. The insights gained from this review can also be used to update the organization's threat intelligence, ensuring that future incident response efforts are informed by the latest understanding of adversary tactics, techniques, and motivations.

Integrating automated response playbooks and SOAR platforms into the incident response process can significantly enhance an organization's ability to detect, contain, and recover from security incidents. These technologies leverage pre-defined workflows and integrations with security tools to automate repetitive tasks, such as threat investigation, indicator enrichment, and response actions. By reducing the manual effort required to execute these activities, SOAR platforms can enable security teams to respond more quickly and consistently to emerging threats, while also freeing up resources to focus on more strategic and complex security initiatives.

The effective implementation of a SOAR platform requires careful planning and integration with an organization's existing security infrastructure. This may involve configuring integrations with SIEM tools, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, and other security controls to ensure seamless data flow and automated response capabilities. Additionally, organizations should invest in the development of comprehensive playbooks that align with the MITRE ATT&CK framework, ensuring that their automated response actions are tailored to the specific tactics and techniques used by threat actors.Leveraging the MITRE ATT&CK framework as part of the security incident response process can provide organizations with a comprehensive understanding of the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors. By mapping observed indicators of compromise (IOCs) and attacker behaviors to the MITRE ATT&CK matrix, incident responders can gain valuable insights into the adversary's motivations, capabilities, and potential targets within the organization.

This knowledge can be used to enhance detection and prevention capabilities, as well as to inform the development of more targeted threat hunting strategies. For example, by identifying the specific TTPs associated with a particular threat group, security teams can configure their SIEM and EDR solutions to monitor for those indicators, improving the chances of early detection and rapid response. Additionally, the MITRE ATT&CK framework can be integrated into automated response playbooks, ensuring that the appropriate containment and eradication actions are taken in response to identified threats.

Effective incident response also requires a robust forensic imaging and chain of custody process. Tools like FTK Imager and EnCase Forensic can be used to create forensic-grade images of affected systems, preserving critical evidence in a tamper-evident format. These images can then be analyzed using specialized forensic software to uncover detailed information about the attacker's activities, including file metadata, network traffic logs, and registry changes.

Maintaining a strict chain of custody is essential to ensure the admissibility of this forensic evidence in legal proceedings. This may involve documenting the handling and storage of the evidence, as well as implementing secure transportation and storage protocols. By following these best practices, organizations can ensure that their incident response efforts are backed by sound forensic data, which can be used to support criminal investigations, civil litigation, and regulatory compliance requirements.