Detection and Analysis
Last updated
Last updated
Proficient Incident Responder with expertise in detection, verification, and prioritization of cybersecurity incidents. Skilled in root cause analysis, incident management, and response coordination, adhering to NIST guidelines. Adept at maintaining efficient communication, documentation, and leveraging issue tracking systems to streamline incident response processes. Committed to improving security posture through continuous monitoring and proactive incident handling.
Key Understanding: Detection is the first critical step in the incident response lifecycle.
Sources:
SIEM Alerts: Analyze correlation rules and event aggregation.
Security Product Notifications: Monitor AV, EDR, and other security tools.
Internal/External Reports: Leverage inputs from IT teams and external partners.
Best Practices:
Use multiple detection sources to minimize blind spots.
Log every detection event for future reference and cross-checking.
Objective: Confirm whether the detected event constitutes a true cybersecurity incident.
Approach:
Preliminary Investigation:
Analyze the source of detection.
Cross-reference system and network logs (e.g., Sysmon, firewall logs).
Key Techniques:
Identify suspicious file extensions or unexpected system behaviors.
Use historical data to check for anomalies.
Documentation:
Update the issue tracking system with:
Current incident status.
Summary and supporting indicators.
Chain of custody for collected evidence.
Best Practices:
Avoid premature actions (e.g., isolation or shutdown) without incident verification to prevent unnecessary service disruptions.
Purpose: Ensure incidents are handled based on risk, not arrival order.
Key Factors:
Severity: Immediate impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Criticality: Importance of the affected systems (e.g., financial or healthcare systems).
Potential Damages: Long-term implications, such as data loss or reputation damage.
Methodology:
Use NIST categorization to classify incidents:
Functional impact.
Information impact.
Recoverability.
Assign priority levels:
High: Immediate response required.
Medium: Needs attention within a defined window.
Low: Monitor and escalate if necessary.
Key Goal: Notify the right stakeholders promptly to minimize response delays.
Process:
Use a pre-established contact list:
Internal: Security, IT, legal, and management.
External: Regulators, law enforcement, and third-party vendors.
Documentation:
Record:
Who was notified.
When and how communication occurred.
Communication Channels:
Ensure secure communication using encrypted email or dedicated lines.
Purpose: Understand the full scope of the attack.
Key Activities:
Timeline Reconstruction:
Track the attack from initial access to latest actions.
Analyze attacker behavior across MITRE ATT&CK stages.
Root Cause Analysis:
Identify vulnerabilities exploited by the attacker.
Examples:
Exploiting a web application flaw.
Phishing campaigns leading to credential theft.
Containment, Eradication, & Recovery:
Implement containment strategies immediately after root cause identification.
Ensure eradication of all traces, such as malware or unauthorized accounts.
Restore systems from known clean backups.
Key Concept: Incident response is an iterative process.
Cycle:
Continuous Monitoring: Maintain vigilance for secondary or related incidents.
Dynamic Response:
Adjust strategies based on new threat intelligence.
Keep detection rules updated to handle emerging threats.
Isolation Protocols:
Swiftly isolate compromised devices or accounts.
Regularly verify the integrity of recovered systems.
Process Hacker: Analyze processes, detect malicious activity, and inspect parent-child relationships.
Autoruns: Identify persistence mechanisms in startup items and services.
FullEventLogView: Comprehensive event log analysis.
LastActivityView: Track user activity to detect anomalous behavior.
BrowsingHistoryView: Analyze web browsing activity for indicators of compromise.
Sysmon Logs: Deep dive into system events for anomaly detection.
Streamlined Documentation:
Maintain thorough incident documentation in real time.
Standardize report templates for consistent post-incident analysis.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Work closely with IT, legal, and other departments.
Foster open communication for faster response escalation.
Continuous Improvement:
Learn from each incident.
Update playbooks, protocols, and training to strengthen response capabilities.
By leveraging these skills and processes, this Incident Responder ensures rapid detection, thorough verification, and efficient prioritization of cybersecurity incidents, fostering a secure and resilient environment.
