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Cyber Forensics and Incident Response Drive Cybersecurity Frameworks

by Patrick Spencer updated January 25, 2023 Cybersecurity Risk Management

Reading Time: 9 minutes

While Sylvain Hirsch played on the Swiss National Rugby Team over a period of eight years, he learned much about the importance of collective collaboration and response. This prepared him for a career in cyber forensics and incident response that took him on an interesting journey from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region. He’s worked for international organizations such as Credit Suisse in threat detection and response and has spent the past two years as an incident responder at Mandiant. His academic endeavors include serving as a guest speaker at different conferences and guest lecturer and researcher at Interpol, University College Dublin, University of Lausanne, and Berner Fachhochschule.

In this Kitecast episode, Hirsch explores various aspects of cyber forensics and incident response and what he sees as best practices and anticipates will be key advances in the field.

Why Is Incident Response Important?

Incident response is important for the following reasons:

Minimizing the impact of security incidents: A prompt response can help to minimize the impact of a security incident, preventing further damage to systems and data.
Protecting sensitive information: Incident response can help to protect sensitive information, preventing it from falling into the hands of malicious actors.
Maintaining business continuity: A well-planned incident response can help to maintain business continuity, minimizing downtime and preventing financial losses.
Preserving reputation: A quick and effective response can help to preserve the reputation of an organization, preventing negative publicity and loss of trust from customers and stakeholders.
Compliance requirements: Incident response is often required by regulatory bodies or industry standards, making it a necessary component of an organization’s security program.

What Is an Incident Response Plan?

An incident response plan (IRP) is a documented, organized approach for responding to and managing potential security incidents, data breaches, or other emergencies that may impact an organization’s information systems and data. The primary goal of an incident response plan is to minimize damage and reduce recovery time and costs by enabling an efficient and effective response to an incident. An IRP typically includes procedures for identifying, prioritizing, containing, assessing, and reporting security incidents, as well as guidelines for communication, coordination, and recovery efforts. It is a crucial part of an organization’s overall cybersecurity strategy.

Cyber Forensics and Incident Response

Cybersecurity is a continually growing concern in our digital world. With the prevalence of data and its exponential growth, organizations must be ever vigilant of potential cyber threats. This is where “cybersecurity incident responders” come into play. Cyber forensics and incident response works to investigate and respond to cyber incidents. It begins with the identification of the source and cause of a breach, and then uses data analysis to determine the extent of the breach and its impact. Once the breach is identified, the team must then begin the process of collecting and preserving evidence, analyzing the evidence, and responding to the incident. This can involve the recovery of data, the elimination of malware, or the prosecution of a suspect, depending on the situation.

The rise of cybercrime also led to the development of cyber forensics tools and processes, such as digital forensics, reverse engineering, and data analysis. Today, cyber forensics is a critical component of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy, and is used to investigate and respond to incidents of cybercrime.

Investigating Compromised Systems

When investigating a compromised system, a cyber-forensic investigator must be extremely thorough. This includes collecting any logs and artifacts related to the incident, as well as any other data that may be relevant. If the system was compromised through a network attack, the investigator will often use packet captures to analyze network traffic, as well as host-based and network intrusion detection systems to find out which systems have been compromised. Other investigative techniques include reverse engineering malware samples to determine the root cause of the incident and analyzing memory dumps to determine what processes were running at the time of the incident.

Once the incident is identified, the investigator must then determine how to contain, eradicate, and recover from the incident. This can involve taking steps to protect systems from further damage, such as disconnecting affected systems from the network, disabling compromised user accounts, and removing any malicious software. The investigator must then ensure that the underlying vulnerability, or cause of the incident, has been addressed so the incident doesn’t happen again. The investigator must restore any data that has been corrupted or encrypted during the incident, as well as any other data that may have been damaged.

Incident Response Frameworks

Incident response frameworks are structured approaches to addressing security breaches and potential incidents that can affect an organization’s IT infrastructure. These frameworks provide guidelines for assessing risks, detecting and reporting security breaches, and responding to security incidents. They also outline roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and strategies for containing and resolving security incidents. By adopting an incident response framework, organizations can prepare themselves to respond effectively to security breaches, minimize damage, and ensure business continuity.

There are several frameworks that organizations can adopt, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, SANS Institute Incident Response Plan, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001:2013 incident management procedures. These frameworks also help organizations comply with regulations and industry standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

It is important for organizations to select and implement an incident response framework that aligns with their specific needs and level of risk. The framework should be regularly reviewed and updated to remain relevant and effective in addressing emerging threats and vulnerabilities. Incident response frameworks are critical for organizations to maintain the security of their IT infrastructure and protect sensitive information from cyber threats.

Incident Response Framework vs. Incident Response Plan

An incident response framework is a comprehensive approach to managing security incidents, including policies, procedures, and communication plans. Meanwhile, an incident response plan is a specific set of steps and actions to take during an incident. The framework provides the overarching structure to the plan, allowing for a more effective response to a security incident. Think of the framework as a roadmap and the plan as the directions to a specific destination. Without the framework, the plan may not be as effective or could be incomplete. It’s important to have both in place to ensure a well-coordinated and efficient response to security incidents.

Intelligence-driven Cyber Detection, Prevention, and Remediation

Intelligence-driven cyber detection, prevention, and remediation utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and other proactive, sophisticated tools to detect and respond to threats. AI is important for detecting and responding to malicious cyber activity in near real time and with greater accuracy and efficiency than manual techniques. Intelligent tools also allow for faster detection and remediation of incidents, often allowing a resolution before attackers can inflict meaningful damage.

Intelligence-driven cyber-detection systems and tools use data from both internal and external sources to identify anomalous behavior and detect potential malicious activity. AI-driven cybersecurity systems are designed to identify malicious activities, proactively detecting previously unknown threats and adapting defensive measures to new and emerging technologies. AI-driven systems can detect and block malicious activities with greater accuracy and timeliness than traditional detection techniques, allowing organizations to respond to threats faster and mitigate the impact and damage that may result.

Prevention is the strongest form of defense against cyberattacks and intelligence-driven cyber prevention utilizes AI and other proactive tools to identify and stop malicious activities before they cause harm. AI-driven cyber-prevention systems can monitor systems and networks to detect and block potential threats before they penetrate the system, while other forms of threat prevention can also be deployed to deter malicious actors. Automation can also be used to reduce the amount of manual effort needed to examine and respond to potential threats, significantly reducing the time needed to effectively defend against attacks.

In remediation, AI-driven systems help organizations to quickly identify the root causes of an attack and develop customized response plans. Once a threat is identified, AI-driven systems can be used to quickly implement remediation actions, including isolation of affected systems, patching, and rollout of new security controls. Cyber professionals can also use AI-driven systems to monitor system changes and establish triggers to alert them to any suspicious activity. By utilizing intelligence-driven cyber detection, prevention, and remediation, organizations can protect their systems, their sensitive communications, and customers from malicious threats.

ISO 27001 Requirements Regarding Security Incidents

ISO 27001 is a framework that helps organizations establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain, and continually improve an information security management system (ISMS). ISO 27001 requires that organizations establish and implement a security incident management process to identify, analyze, respond to, and report security incidents. Specifically, the standard requires that organizations:

Define roles and responsibilities for incident management
Establish a procedure for reporting security incidents
Identify and classify security incidents in a timely manner
Analyze security incidents to determine their impact and root cause
Implement appropriate controls to prevent future incidents
Develop and implement a plan for responding to security incidents
Test and review the incident management process regularly
Report security incidents to relevant parties, including management, customers, and authorities, as required by law.

ISO 27001 also requires that organizations maintain records of security incidents, including their classification, impact, and resolution. These records should be used to identify trends and make continual improvements to the incident management process.

Monitoring the Dark Web for Cybersecurity Incident Response

The dark web can be a major source of cyber insecurity, a place where cybercriminals and hackers can go to buy or sell stolen data or malicious software without being detected. In many ways, it democratizes cybercrime by reducing the skillsets required to instigate cyberattacks. To help prevent attacks, many organizations now monitor the dark web to quickly identify any threats posed to their systems. This monitoring is essential to cybersecurity incident response.

Monitoring the dark web requires sophisticated tools and techniques, which organizations must employ to detect suspicious activity. Professional organizations may utilize honeypots and malware detection systems to monitor the dark web, flagging any suspicious activity as it occurs. These tools can help to identify malicious actors who may be selling stolen data or malicious software. In addition, they can also help to detect infiltration attempts, such as when an attacker attempts to gain access to an organization’s systems.

Monitoring the dark web also requires constant vigilance, as threats may come from anywhere. Professionals must be familiar with the latest tactics used by criminals, malware detection systems, and other methods for monitoring the dark web. In addition, organizations must have a plan in place for responding to a security incident, including how to contain it, prevent it from spreading, and repair any damage caused.

Organizations must also consider the legal implications of monitoring the dark web, as the activity can be illegal in many countries. For example, in some countries it may be illegal to sell stolen data, and in others it may be illegal to monitor activity on the dark web without permission. Organizations must ensure that they are acting in compliance with applicable regulations and standards.

How to Plan and Execute a Successful Cyber Forensics and Incident Response Strategy

A cyber forensics and incident response process is a critical component of any organization’s cybersecurity posture. To ensure a successful incident response process, organizations must plan and execute an effective strategy. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Be Prepared for Cybersecurity Incidents

Incident preparedness is a crucial element of effective cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations must have clear policies and procedures in place to respond quickly and effectively to cyber incidents. Incident response teams should be trained to identify and contain cyber threats, preserve evidence, and conduct forensic investigations. By prioritizing incident preparedness, organizations can minimize the impact of cyberattacks and prevent future incidents. Businesses can take steps to test their incident response plans through tabletop exercises or simulations, ensuring their teams are ready when a real incident occurs. Overall, incident preparedness is a vital component of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy.

Establish Incident Response Protocols

The first step in implementing an incident response strategy is to establish protocols for how to respond to incidents. This should include the steps needed to identify, collect, preserve, analyze, and respond to incidents. The protocols should also address how to communicate with other departments and stakeholders, as well as what tools and techniques to use in the response.

Invest in the Right Tools for the Job

No strategy can be successful without the right tools. Investing in the right cyber-forensics tools, such as software and hardware, is essential for effective incident response. The tools should be able to detect, analyze, and respond to incidents quickly and accurately.

Train a Team of Experts in Cyber Forensics and Incident Response

The next step is to train a team of experts in cyber forensics and incident response. This team should have a good understanding of the incident response process and the tools needed to effectively respond to incidents. They should also have the necessary knowledge and skills to detect, analyze, and respond to incidents quickly and accurately.

Monitor Network Activity Continuously

The process of cyber forensics and incident response is an ongoing one. To ensure a successful strategy, organizations must continuously monitor their networks for potential threats and anomalies. This can include using network scanners, intrusion detection systems, and other tools to monitor for malicious activity.

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