What is an incident response plan (IRP) template?
An incident response (IR) plan template is a pre-structured document that provides a framework and guideline for creating an organization’s incident response plan. It outlines the playbook and procedures to follow before, during, and after a security incident to effectively detect, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks or data breaches.
Common components of a sample IR plan template
When you adopt an IR plan, make sure it has foundational entries to help you respond to attacks. Here are a few details to look for:
Purpose and scope: Defines the objectives and extent of the plan’s application
Roles and responsibilities: Specifies who’s responsible for each aspect of the response—like IR leads or forensic analysts—and shared responsibility across the organization
Incident response phases:
Preparation: Establishes readiness measures, such as deploying detection tools like SIEM and EDR, and IR team training
Detection and analysis: Identifies and assesses incidents using mechanisms like IDS or IPS and implements triage workflows
Containment, eradication, and recovery: Manages the incident and restores operations with strategies like network segmentation, eradication steps like malware removal, and patches
Post-incident activity: Reviews and improves the response process with techniques like root cause analysis and playbook revisions
Communication protocols: Outlines internal and external communication paths, like developing communication channels and escalation paths and defining regulatory reporting requirements
Severity levels: Defines incident severity and response times to define objectives and protocols
Documentation and reporting: Details what information you should record and report—like logs and screenshots—and how to document timelines
How to Prepare for a Cloud Cyberattack: An Actionable Incident Response Plan Template
A quickstart guide to creating a robust incident response plan - designed specifically for companies with cloud-based deployments.
7 sample incident response plan templates
When searching for IR plan templates online, you’ll quickly find that most available resources are quite generic. These templates typically focus on broad principles and procedures that apply to a variety of IT environments rather than addressing cloud computing’s unique challenges and nuances. This can leave cloud native organizations with significant gaps in their incident response strategy and tools.
Keeping these security gaps and needs in mind, here are seven top incident response templates you can use for your security team:
1. Wiz’s Cloud Incident Response Template
Wiz offers an effective cloud native IR plan template with a practical, detailed guide to help organizations effectively manage and respond to security incidents in cloud environments. But unlike other sources, Wiz’s CNAPP also provides the all-in-one security you need to execute the strategy, prevent future threats from happening, and find vulnerabilities before they become an issue.
This IR plan template for cloud native organizations includes predefined roles, communication protocols, and workflows specifically for cloud-scale operations. This makes it easier for DevSecOps teams to act quickly and collaboratively. The template is also particularly useful for organizations that want to create a robust cloud IR plan from scratch or improve their existing plans since it covers many cloud-specific components and provides a structured approach to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated response to incidents.
By following this template, your organization can align its IR strategy with modern (and emerging) cloud threat landscapes and improve your team’s readiness for unexpected attacks.
2. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) IR plan template
NIST’s Incident Response Recommendations and Considerations for Cybersecurity Risk Management provides practical guidelines for organizations to effectively respond to computer security incidents.
3. SANS Incident Handlers Handbook
The SANS Incident Handlers Handbook is a practical guide for managing cybersecurity incidents. It provides a basic foundation for IT professionals and managers to create their own incident response policies, standards, and teams within their organizations.
While having an IR plan is crucial for outlining your overall strategy and responsibilities during a security incident, it’s not enough on its own. You’ll also need detailed incident response playbooks. These provide step-by-step procedures for specific types of incidents, such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, or phishing attempts.
4. The Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Councils’ Coordinated Healthcare Incident Response Plan (CHIRP)
The Health Industry Cybersecurity CHIRP template addresses the unique operational impacts of cybersecurity incidents on patient care.
Unlike generic plans, it focuses on integrating existing emergency management, business continuity, and downtime procedures that are specific to healthcare. This template also guides healthcare organizations in developing a customized IR plan that ensures the continuity of care and patient safety during cyber incidents.
5. The California Department of Technology’s Incident Response Plan Example
The California Department of Technology’s IR plan is a comprehensive 17-step template that guides organizations through the process of responding to active incidents.
For more information, check out the direct file download.
The biggest names in the industry agree that traditional incident response methods often fall short in addressing the complexities of cloud environments. Gartner, for instance, recognizes cloud investigation and response automation as an indispensable technology in the cybersecurity landscape. The organization also views CIRA as a strategic investment for organizations looking to fortify their security posture in the cloud.
Simply put, the shift to cloud computing brings unprecedented opportunities but also introduces new risks.
6. The National Institute of Health (NIH) Incident Reporting Template
This IR plan template is for NIH Institutes and Centers. Given its NIH-specific nature, teams outside the organization would need to adapt this template significantly for their own IR plans. However, it could still serve as a useful reference for how a large, complex federal organization structures its IR plan.
Check out direct file download for more information.
7. UConn’s incident response plan
The University of Connecticut (UConn) has a comprehensive IR plan that outlines how the institution handles information security incidents. The plan provides guidance for responding to data security incidents, determining their scope and risk, and ensuring appropriate responses, including communication to stakeholders. It applies to all UConn information systems, institutional data, and networks, as well as anyone accessing these systems or data.
How to use an IR plan template
An effective IR plan template should be a starting point for creating a customized plan for your organization’s specific needs and environment, not the end goal.
Here are some other key guidelines for effectively using a template:
Customize your plan
Don’t just fill in the blanks. Instead, adapt the template to reflect your organization’s structure, assets, systems, size, and potential threats. For instance, a small company might focus on critical systems, while a larger organization might have a more comprehensive plan.
Focus on core components
Ensure that your plan covers these essential aspects:
Purpose and scope: Define the plan’s goals and what types of incidents it addresses.
Threat scenarios: Identify potential threats that your organization might face.
Roles and responsibilities: Clearly outline who does what during an incident.
Incident response process: Establish a clear sequence of steps for incident detection, containment, eradication, and recovery, as well as post-incident review.
Define clear roles and communication
Provide a clear path for expectations by covering the following details:
Ownership and responsibility: Assign specific roles for each stage of the response process, with clear titles and contact details for each team member.
Communication protocols: Establish communication paths for escalation and information sharing during an incident. This includes who team members should inform, what information they need to communicate, and how often the responsible party should provide updates.
Create a flexible, adaptable process
Implement these steps to enhance your process:
Tailored approach: Create a response process that you can adapt to different types of incidents while providing a clear sequence of events to follow.
Severity levels and response times: Define different incident severity levels and set corresponding response and resolution times for each level. This helps you prioritize efforts based on the incident’s impact.
Maintain, review, and update regularly
For a more consistent protocol, take the following steps into account:
Regular review: Schedule quarterly reviews of the plan to incorporate lessons from past incidents and address new and emerging threats.
Supporting documents: Consider developing supplementary documentation for specific scenarios like zero-day attacks or ransomware outbreaks. These provide more detailed guidance for handling such events.
Mistakes to avoid when using a template
When using an IR plan template, there are several key things to avoid so you can create an effective, tailored plan for your organization:
Avoid being too IT-focused: Consult with non-technical teams like legal, compliance, HR, and communications when developing the plan.
Don’t create the plan in isolation: Involve relevant stakeholders and supporting teams in the development process.
Avoid being too general or too specific: Strike a balance to make the plan actionable yet flexible enough to handle various incident types.
Don’t neglect to establish a clear team structure: Define responsibilities for each team member to prevent confusion during an incident.
Don’t forget to test the plan: Regularly conduct tabletop exercises and simulations to identify gaps and ensure the plan’s effectiveness.
Don’t let the plan become outdated: Review and update your plan regularly, especially after significant changes in your IT infrastructure or business operations.
Avoid overlooking communication protocols: Clearly define communication paths, like what your team should communicate and to whom.
Don’t forget to include severity levels and response times: Define incident severity levels and corresponding response and resolution times.
Avoid creating the plan without considering its place in your document hierarchy: Ensure that your plan aligns with other cybersecurity documents in your organization.
How to Prepare for a Cloud Cyberattack: An Actionable Incident Response Plan Template
A quickstart guide to creating a robust incident response plan - designed specifically for companies with cloud-based deployments.