Incident Response Plan

A documented set of procedures for detecting, responding to, and recovering from data security incidents and breaches. An effective incident response plan establishes clear roles and responsibilities, defines incident classification and escalation procedures, outlines investigation steps, specifies notification requirements and timelines, addresses containment and remediation actions, includes communication protocols, and provides recovery procedures. The plan should cover various incident types from minor security events to major breaches. Key elements include an incident response team with defined roles, procedures for preserving evidence, decision trees for notification requirements, template communications for regulators and affected individuals, and post-incident review processes. Organizations should develop written plans, train personnel on their roles, conduct regular tabletop exercises, test plans through simulations, update plans based on lessons learned, and maintain plan accessibility during crises. A good incident response plan minimizes harm, demonstrates preparedness, and facilitates regulatory compliance.