Incident Response Plan (IRP) ([RES-PROC-001])

1. Purpose

To provide detailed, actionable steps for responding to information security incidents to minimize impact and ensure a coordinated response.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all personnel involved in the incident response process and covers all information systems and data.

3. Overview

This procedure outlines the formal process for managing information security incidents, from initial detection and analysis through containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review, following the NIST incident response lifecycle.

4. Procedure

Step	Phase	Who	What
1	Preparation	Security Team	Conduct annual incident response training and exercises.
2		Security Team	Maintain and test incident response tools and systems.
3	Detection & Analysis	All Personnel	Report suspected incidents to the Security Team immediately.
4		Security Analyst	Triage and classify incoming alerts and reports to determine if an incident has occurred.
5		Incident Commander	Activate the Incident Response Team (IRT) for confirmed incidents.
6	Containment, Eradication, & Recovery	IRT	Isolate affected systems to prevent further damage.
7		IRT	Identify and remove the root cause of the incident (e.g., malware, unauthorized access).
8		IRT	Restore systems to normal operation from clean backups.
9	Post-Incident Activity	Incident Commander	Conduct a post-incident review (lessons learned) meeting.
10		Incident Commander	Complete and file a formal Incident Report.

5. Standards Compliance

Procedure Step(s)	Standard/Framework	Control Reference
1-10	SOC 2	CC7.1, CC7.2
1-10	HIPAA Security Rule	45 CFR § 164.308(a)(6)

6. Artifact(s)

A completed Incident Report for each declared incident.

7. Definitions

Incident: An event that actually or potentially jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an information system or the information the system processes, stores, or transmits.

Incident Response Team (IRT): A dedicated or virtual team responsible for responding to security incidents.

8. Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Incident Commander	Leads and coordinates the overall incident response effort.
Security Analyst	Performs initial triage, analysis, and technical investigation of incidents.
Privacy Officer	Assesses incidents for potential data breach notification mandates, particularly under HIPAA.
Legal Counsel	Provides legal guidance on incident handling, evidence preservation, and external communications.