Classification
Incident Response, Cybersecurity Governance
Overview
The Six Incident Response (IR) Stages provide a structured approach to managing and mitigating cybersecurity incidents. These stages are: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned. Preparation involves establishing policies, tools, and training; Identification focuses on detecting and confirming incidents; Containment limits damage; Eradication removes the threat; Recovery restores systems; and Lessons Learned reviews the incident for future improvement. This lifecycle is widely adopted in standards such as NIST SP 800-61 and ISO/IEC 27035. However, real-world incidents may not progress linearly through these stages, and organizations may face challenges such as resource constraints, evolving threats, or incomplete detection, which can limit the effectiveness of a rigid stage-based approach. Flexibility and continuous improvement are essential for optimal incident response.
Governance Context
The Six IR Stages are embedded in major frameworks such as NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2, which mandates organizations to develop incident response policies (Preparation) and perform post-incident reviews (Lessons Learned). ISO/IEC 27035 requires organizations to establish communication protocols and escalation procedures (Identification and Containment). Concrete obligations include maintaining an incident response plan (Preparation), logging and evidence preservation (Identification and Containment), and conducting root cause analysis (Eradication). Controls also require regular training and exercises (Preparation), documentation of all incident activities for audit purposes (Recovery and Lessons Learned), and timely notification of significant incidents to regulators (e.g., GDPR Article 33). Organizations must also ensure that incident response teams have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and that communication with stakeholders is managed according to documented procedures.
Ethical & Societal Implications
Effective execution of the Six IR Stages helps protect sensitive data, maintain public trust, and ensure critical services remain available. However, aggressive containment or eradication may inadvertently disrupt essential services or compromise privacy if data is deleted or systems are taken offline without due diligence. Insufficient lessons learned can perpetuate vulnerabilities, while overzealous incident reporting may cause unnecessary public alarm or reputational harm. Ethical governance must balance rapid response with transparency, accountability, and respect for affected individuals' rights.
Key Takeaways
The Six IR Stages provide a systematic approach to incident management.; Frameworks like NIST SP 800-61 and ISO/IEC 27035 embed these stages in compliance requirements.; Real-world incidents may require iterative or overlapping application of stages.; Documentation and post-incident reviews are critical for continuous improvement.; Failure in any stage can amplify organizational, ethical, and societal risks.; Effective incident response requires cross-functional coordination and clear communication.