Framework: The Center for Internet Security (CIS) Top 18 Controls

Safeguard 17.1 requires organizations to establish and maintain a comprehensive incident response process that defines scope, roles, responsibilities, and communication procedures. This process must include not only the technical elements of response—like containment and remediation—but also compliance reporting, legal coordination, and stakeholder communication. The plan should assign a primary incident manager and designate backups to ensure continuity. Playbooks for common incident types—such as ransomware, phishing, data breaches, or insider misuse—translate broad policy into actionable checklists that guide responders step by step. These playbooks must be reviewed at least annually and updated whenever infrastructure, threats, or regulations change. Their purpose is to eliminate guesswork in the middle of a crisis, ensuring consistency and accountability throughout every stage of response.

To implement this safeguard, organizations should adopt a tiered structure: strategic leadership sets priorities, tactical coordinators manage containment and communication, and operational responders execute technical steps. All actions must be logged in a centralized system for traceability and audit. Integrating response workflows with detection systems enables automation of early actions—such as isolating infected endpoints or revoking credentials. Tabletop exercises validate that playbooks are practical, while cross-departmental rehearsals ensure non-technical staff understand escalation protocols. Documenting lessons learned after each incident keeps the process living and adaptive. Over time, Safeguard 17.1 turns incident response from a reactive scramble into a well-choreographed routine that strengthens confidence across the organization and demonstrates to regulators and customers that the enterprise can manage adversity with discipline and transparency.
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