Incident Response 101: Building a NIST, CIS, and ISO-Aligned Cybersecurity Playbook

No matter how strong your defenses are, cybersecurity incidents will happen. Whether it’s a phishing attack, ransomware outbreak, or insider threat, how you respond can mean the difference between a minor disruption and a full-blown crisis.

In this post, we’ll outline how to create an Incident Response (IR) plan aligned with NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2, CIS Controls v8, and ISO/IEC 27035 so you can respond quickly, limit damage, and learn from every incident.

🚨 Why Incident Response Matters

• Limits business disruption – Faster detection and containment reduce downtime.

• Reduces financial impact – The average cost of a data breach can be significantly lowered with rapid IR.

• Improves compliance – Regulatory bodies expect documented and tested IR plans.

• Protects brand reputation – Swift, transparent responses maintain customer trust.

🛡 The NIST 6-Step Incident Response Process

1. Preparation

(NIST SP 800-61, CIS Control 17, ISO/IEC 27035-1)

• Define IR policies, roles, and responsibilities.

• Train your team with tabletop exercises and simulations.

• Ensure contact lists, vendor agreements, and reporting procedures are up to date.

2. Detection & Analysis

(CIS Control 8, NIST “Detect” Function)

• Deploy monitoring tools (SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR) to detect suspicious activity.

• Classify incidents by severity and potential business impact.

• Verify alerts to reduce false positives.

3. Containment

(NIST SP 800-61, ISO/IEC 27035-2)

• Short-term: Isolate affected systems to stop the spread.

• Long-term: Implement temporary fixes while planning eradication.

• Document every containment action for forensic purposes.

4. Eradication

• Remove malware, disable compromised accounts, and close exploited vulnerabilities.

• Patch affected systems and harden configurations.

5. Recovery

(CIS Control 11, NIST “Recover” Function)

• Restore systems from known-good backups.

• Monitor closely for signs of reinfection.

• Communicate status updates to stakeholders.

6. Lessons Learned

(ISO/IEC 27035-3, NIST SP 800-61)

• Conduct a post-incident review within two weeks.

• Update IR documentation, policies, and training.

• Feed lessons into your risk management and security awareness programs.

📋 Quick IR Readiness Checklist

• ✅ Documented IR plan

• ✅ Dedicated IR team or external partner on retainer

• ✅ Forensic and log retention policy

• ✅ Pre-approved communication templates for incidents

• ✅ Tested backup and recovery procedures

💡 Final Takeaway

Incident response is not just about reacting—it’s about being prepared. By building an IR playbook aligned with trusted frameworks, your organization can respond confidently, reduce damage, and continuously improve its cyber resilience.

At Timber Island Technologies, we help businesses develop and test incident response strategies that meet regulatory and industry best practices. Contact us today to strengthen your defense.