Alerts and End of Crisis

Concluding a Cyber Crisis: A Structured Approach

Successfully concluding a cyber crisis requires as much diligence as handling the incident itself. Following a structured post-crisis process ensures compliance, minimizes residual risks, and strengthens future readiness.

---

1. Alerting the Relevant Authorities

Why Alert Authorities?

• Legal Compliance: Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, or industry-specific mandates may require incident reporting.

• Assistance and Coordination: Law enforcement or cybersecurity agencies can provide support and help prevent broader impacts.

Key Considerations:

• Who to Alert:

  • Regulatory bodies (e.g., ICO for GDPR, CISA for US government agencies).

  • Law enforcement (local police, federal cybersecurity units).

  • Industry-specific bodies (e.g., HIPAA regulators for healthcare).

• When to Alert:

  • Ensure reporting is within the required timeframe (e.g., 72 hours under GDPR).

• Who is Responsible:

  • Assign specific roles for notifications within your Crisis Management Team (CMT).

---

2. Alerting Your Partners

Why Alert Partners?

• Containment: Partners may also be at risk if they are part of the compromised supply chain.

• Shared Threat Intelligence: Enables partners to strengthen their defenses.

• Incident Source Identification: Attackers may exploit vulnerabilities in a partner’s network.

Key Actions:

• Communicate Early:

  • Notify partners as soon as you have actionable intelligence.

• Share Critical Details:

  • Provide Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).

  • Highlight potential attack vectors.

---

3. End of Crisis Procedures

A. Destruction or Preservation of Traces

• Clean Desk Policy:

  • Securely destroy any physical notes or documents related to the crisis.

  • Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

• Preserve Evidence:

  • Retain logs, forensic images, and encrypted files for further analysis or regulatory compliance.

B. Oversight

• Monitoring:

  • Maintain heightened monitoring for any residual threats or follow-up attacks.

  • Use SIEM tools to analyze post-crisis activity logs.

• Staff Supervision:

  • Ensure continued adherence to security protocols as teams transition from crisis response.

C. Service Providers

• Evaluate Vendor Offers:

  • Post-crisis, vendors may propose security solutions or upgrades.

  • Assess these offers critically, ensuring alignment with long-term security goals.

---

4. Post-Crisis Review

Conducting a Post-Incident Review is essential for improving future crisis management:

Key Questions to Address:

• What worked well?

  • Identify effective procedures, tools, and team actions.

• What could have been done better?

  • Pinpoint delays, miscommunications, or gaps in technical capabilities.

• Are there gaps in the Crisis Management Plan?

  • Review the CMP to identify any areas for improvement.

Documentation:

• Compile a detailed report outlining:

  • Incident timeline.

  • Response effectiveness.

  • Recommendations for improving processes, tools, and training.

---

Concluding a cyber crisis effectively requires a combination of communication, oversight, and reflection. By systematically notifying relevant authorities and partners, preserving critical evidence, and conducting a thorough post-crisis review, organizations can strengthen their resilience against future incidents.

Key Takeaways:

• Ensure timely and accurate communication with authorities and partners.

• Maintain post-crisis vigilance to prevent follow-up threats.

• Use post-incident reviews to refine the Crisis Management Plan (CMP) and enhance long-term security.