How can you report security incidents to stakeholders clearly and concisely?

Tailor your communication based on the stakeholders' level of technical expertise and their specific concerns. Executives may require a high-level overview focusing on the impact on business operations and potential financial implications. Technical teams might need detailed information about the incident's origin, the attack vector, and remediation steps taken. Use non-technical language when addressing a broader audience to ensure comprehension. Provide a concise summary of the incident, outlining key details such as the nature of the breach, affected systems, and steps taken to mitigate risks. By adapting your communication style to the knowledge of your audience, you enhance the clarity and relevance of your security incident reports.

Briefly describe the incident type, discovery time, and affected areas. Highlight the business impact, like data or financial loss. Detail immediate response actions and suggest preventative measures. Use clear language suitable for all stakeholders, emphasizing urgency and severity as needed. Include contact details for further inquiries, and be ready to provide ongoing updates. The report should convey effective management and resolution of the incident, reassuring stakeholders of the organization's commitment to security.

Após a análise da causa raiz do incidente coletada por exemplo em log bruto ou log de ferramentas EDR, devem ser considerados os principais pontos dessas informa??es e tranforma-los em um formato acessível ao entendimento das pessoas que receber?o o relatório. Preparar uma apresenta??o em Power Point por exemplo, mostrando do ponto inicial do ataque até a resolu??o do problema (processo bloqueado, quarentenado etc) e no final explicar qual foi o principal vetor para o ataque e as li??es aprendidas, para que mesmo o próximo ataque sendo mais sofisticado, a equipe esteja preparada para mitigar e evitá-lo. Evitar a utiliza??o de termos técnicos pois nem todas as áreas entender?o de forma clara.

Establish a consistent format for incident reports. This might include an executive summary, incident details, impact assessment, actions taken, and recommendations for improvement. A standardized structure ensures that stakeholders can quickly locate the information relevant to their needs, promoting clarity and efficiency.

When reporting security incidents to stakeholders, follow a standard structure such as this one: 1. Executive Summary 2. Incident Details 3. Affected Systems and Data 4. Scope of the Incident 5. Response Actions Taken 6. Investigation Findings 7. Impact Assessment 8. Recommendations for Improvement 9. Communication Plan 10. Conclusion 11. Appendix (if necessary) Tailoring this structure to the specific needs and context of your organization can enhance the effectiveness of incident reporting.

Effective security incident reporting demands clarity and conciseness. The key is to avoid technical jargon and present information in simple, direct language. This approach ensures that non-technical decision-makers can quickly understand the severity and implications of the incident. A well-structured report should briefly describe the incident, its potential impact on the organization, and proposed mitigation steps. Clear communication is crucial for enabling the board or top management to swiftly comprehend the risks and take necessary actions to protect the organization's interests and assets. The goal is to convey critical information efficiently, facilitating informed decision-making.

One was I was able to get executives attention (before becoming one) was using their language. Not talking about grammar or chatGPT type of language, but key aspects they are looking for: money. If you are presenting about intrusions/incidents, research over public institutions that got breached through similar attacks, get how much was required to invest (e.g.: to bring a security firm to perform the incident response or penalties required to be paid), and stock value. Some good examples are the Target breach (lack of security monitoring) or Sony Pictures breach (lack of data protection and constant EDR investments on malware detection)

- Remember that your stakeholders are not security engineers - You need to translate the security incident to its “business” impact - Potential ways of quantifying impact to business stakeholders could include (but not restricted to): sensitive data loss, potential financial loss, downtime/recovery time, fines, degraded customer experience, performance loss.

Use samples from similar attacks that happened within the industry as exampleas and lessons learn. Use dollar figures on investments versus consequences if those investments are not done (and you can use those examples from public companies that are obligated to disclose where they put their money in). For example, Target needed to pay $18.5 million on settlements alone due to their breach back 2014. To avoid that type of issue, they could have invested somewhere between $1~2 million on their SOC for a 24/7 monitoring. If let's say they are still not convinced, bring up a risk acceptance letter, so you are not accountable if a breach happens

Provide actionable steps for remediation and future prevention, outlining security measures and best practices that can mitigate similar risks. Emphasize the importance of ongoing training and awareness programs to enhance the organization's overall security posture. Discuss any improvements or changes made to existing processes or technologies based on the incident's insights. By offering constructive recommendations and distilling valuable lessons from the incident, you not only provide stakeholders with a roadmap for addressing immediate concerns but also contribute to the organization's long-term resilience against potential security threats.

?After all that has been said, it's important to recognize that most stakeholders may not have a deep understanding of security. In many cases, the availability of the business is their top priority. Therefore, instead of solely focusing on blocking threats, it's crucial to align with the business needs and offer countermeasures to minimize the risk surface as much as possible.