How can you streamline incident response in the cloud?

Para optimizar la respuesta a incidentes en la nube, realice una evaluación exhaustiva alineada con ISO 27001, ISO 27017 e ISO 27035. Identifique y clasifique activos, servicios, configuraciones y dependencias en la nube según su importancia empresarial y requisitos de seguridad. Evalúe riesgos potenciales, estableciendo responsabilidades claras entre proveedores de nube, socios y equipos internos. Implemente canales de comunicación efectivos y procedimientos de escalamiento. Al comprender su entorno en la nube, priorice los activos e incidentes críticos, alineando su respuesta con su marco de gobernanza en la nube y las mejores prácticas de seguridad de la información.

Microsoft 365 Defender is a cloud native Extended Detection and Response (XDR) system and Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud native Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. Microsoft 365 Defender integration with Microsoft Sentinel can provide the most comprehensive and streamlined security threat detection, mitigation and security event management solution for organizations. On top of that Microsoft Security Copilot provides AI assistant to answer and mitigate most security questions and incidents.

In my experience comprehensive assessment of the cloud environment should be real-time and continuous, because the changes happen immediately with huge impact. After you create and implement a risk based security policy following one of the CSF, automated remediation should be implemented.

Conducting a comprehensive review of your cloud landscape is pivotal. Map out all assets, understanding their interdependencies and how they correlate with your operational goals and security framework. Clear knowledge of your cloud architecture empowers prioritization during incidents and sharpens your response. This assessment should be meticulous, factoring in your internal and cloud providers' roles, establishing precise communication channels, and escalation paths.

Some of the key aspects like strategic role clarity, governance integration, and asset prioritisation form the pillars of effective cloud incident response. - Roles Clarification: Define and clarify roles for cloud providers, internal teams and partners to streamline communication during incidents, fostering a coordinated response. - Governance Framework Alignment: Align incident response plans with cloud governance frameworks, harmonising strategies with policies and compliance requirements for a cohesive approach. - Critical Asset Prioritisation: Identify and prioritise critical assets, ensuring efficient incident response and minimising impact. This strategic focus enhances overall resilience in the face of incidents.

Automating detection & response in cloud IR is vital for enhancing efficiency & effectiveness. Automation tools when applied correctly can significantly improve the speed & accuracy of identifying & mitigating threats. Here are key things to look for/work on: - Continuous Monitoring - Data Analysis - Scripted Workflows - Isolation & Blocking - Notification Protocols - Reduction of Manual Effort(Efficiency Gains) - Adaptability- Provides a dynamic & scalable IR capability - Consistency- Reduces variability & improving the overall reliability of incident handling Implementing automation in incident response aligns with the dynamic & fast-paced nature of cloud env, providing org with a robust & adaptive defence against evolving cyber threats.

Optimizing incident response in the cloud necessitates robust automation. Deploy continuous monitoring with automated alerting systems that aggregate and scrutinize data from logs, network traffic, and user activities. Scripts and automated workflows should be in place to execute immediate actions, such as isolating compromised instances or shutting down malicious IPs based on incident severity.

I feel this is jumping the gun. Step two after evaluation should not be a jump into the hazards of automation. It should be a conversation between security and operations (Devops, Cloudops, whichever flavor exists). Let them know your intent and provide feedback. Work with them to address items that are in contention. What we all want is containment and eradication of malicious activity. What we don't want is to be the cause of malicious activity.

Seamlessly integrating your incident response with native cloud tools provided by your cloud service providers can significantly bolster your defensive measures. These native functionalities, from backup and snapshots to audit trails and security policies, can enhance your response's effectiveness, providing a cohesive and streamlined approach to incident management.

I feel this is also an item that belongs before automation. Prior to building new capabilities it is important to maximize what exists and is available. This is often an issue for security where the next tools is the solution to everything. SOAR was supposed to revolutionize SOCs. But with the shift in attention the SIEM was often not maintained as it should be. It's important to remember that adding new tools, automation, etc. must enhance your security posture and not overwhelm the security team.

Creating a detailed incident report is critical for capturing the event's nuances and for post-incident analysis. This documentation should include the incident's timeline, impact, root cause, and the response measures enacted. Engaging in thorough post-incident reviews with all stakeholders refines your approach and strengthens your overall security posture.

Instead of referencing every incident and its outcome it should be every incident investigation (or similar). Yes this is word smithing but it is important. Most incident investigations will lead to a determination that there was either no incident or that it is not a material incident. There is often still a lot of value to learn from.

Comprehensive documentation of cloud security incidents is essential for strengthening the overall security posture. Important information such as the date and the time, the root cause of the incident, should be captured, as already mentioned. However, post-incident reviews, involving relevant stakeholders, assess the efficacy of the incident response plan, processes, and tools, promoting continuous improvement and fostering a more resilient cloud environment.

I would recommend this as the first step. Too often cybersecurity teams jump to implementing a third party CSPM or other solution on top of their cloud without understanding mindset shift that needs to happen when moving from on-prem to cloud based security controls The Cloud moves EXTREMELY fast and incident response needs to be automated and quick to respond as well. Teams should experiment with things like serverless and service integrations to understand the cloud security model and it can re-engineer incident response

Continuous training and scenario-based simulations are fundamental to maintain a cloud security-savvy team. They should be well-informed about the latest security trends and incident response protocols. Testing their response through drills sharpens their skills, ensuring they can act decisively and accurately during real incidents

Your incident response plan is a living document that requires regular updates to remain effective. It should be reviewed annually or after significant changes to your cloud environment, business objectives, or security requirements. Incorporate feedback and lessons learned from incident reports to refine your response strategy continually

A cloud response plan should be complimentary to the overall systems response plan. Rather than having a single, specific process, a cloud incident response should tie in neatly with other plans. This will ensure that any training done, changes made to reporting, or other things that may not be cloud specific are covered when plan refinements and planning are conducted. Keeping a holistic approach to the cybersecurity footprint of an organization will ensure that lessons learned are shared across complimentary areas and enhance the overall alignment of these response plans.

In the spirit of collective security, sharing insights and experiences from specific incidents enriches the knowledge base of the community. Discussing what worked well and what didn't can pave the way for stronger, more resilient incident response strategies across the board.

Automated Detection and Response - Implementing automated tools for real-time threat detection and response in the cloud is crucial. This approach ensures swift action, reducing the window of opportunity for attackers and minimising potential damage. Regular Simulation and Training - Conducting regular incident response simulations and training sessions for your team enhances preparedness. This proactive strategy ensures that when an actual incident occurs, the team is well-versed in the necessary steps, leading to a more efficient and coordinated response. Integrated Communication Channels - Establishing clear, integrated communication channels is vital.

Kaspersky CyberTrace streamlines threat intelligence flows for better initial response to cyberthreats. This free tool integrates numerous threat data feeds with SIEM solutions to immediately leverage threat intelligence for monitoring, detection & incident response in security operation workflows. If IoC from threat intelligence feeds are found in any log source within an organization’s environment, Kaspersky CyberTrace automatically sends alerts to SIEMs for ongoing monitoring & validation to reveal additional contextual evidence for the security incidents. Kaspersky CyberTrace helps prioritize tasks by giving analysts a set of instruments for conducting alert triage & response through categorization & validation of identified matches.