How can you perform incident triage and analysis?

1 Define the incident

The first step of incident triage and analysis is to define the incident based on the available information and evidence. You need to answer questions such as: What is the nature and source of the incident? What are the indicators of compromise (IOCs)? What are the affected systems and data? What are the potential consequences and risks? You can use tools such as SIEM, log analysis, threat intelligence, and incident management platforms to collect and correlate data from different sources and create a clear picture of the incident.

2 Assess the severity and urgency

The next step of incident triage and analysis is to assess the severity and urgency of the incident based on the impact and likelihood of harm. You need to consider factors such as: How many systems and users are affected? How sensitive and valuable is the data involved? How much damage has been done or could be done? How fast is the incident spreading or escalating? You can use a predefined scale or matrix to assign a severity and urgency level to the incident and communicate it to the relevant stakeholders and responders.

3 Contain the incident

The third step of incident triage and analysis is to contain the incident to prevent further harm and preserve evidence. You need to take actions such as: Isolating the compromised systems from the network. Blocking the malicious traffic or activity. Disabling or changing the credentials or access rights of the attackers. Applying patches or updates to fix vulnerabilities. You can use tools such as firewalls, antivirus, endpoint detection and response, and network segmentation to implement containment measures and monitor their effectiveness.

6 Plan and execute the remediation

The final step of incident triage and analysis is to plan and execute the remediation of the incident to restore normal operations and prevent recurrence. You need to implement solutions such as: Eradicating the malicious artifacts and traces from the systems. Recovering or restoring the data and functionality of the systems. Updating or enhancing the security controls and policies. Educating or training the users and staff on security awareness and hygiene. You can use tools such as backup and recovery, configuration management, vulnerability management, and security awareness to execute your remediation plan and verify its effectiveness.