Incident Response Plan Template
A cyberattack is a WHEN, not an IF—be prepared. Our free, customizable Incident Response Plan Template gives you a clear framework to follow, covering essential incident response steps so you can act fast.
Grab your Cyber Incident Response Plan Template today and stay in control when it matters most!
Why you need a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan Template: Be incident-ready, not reactive
Attacks Happen. The Right Response Makes All the Difference.
If your business has data, it’s a target. Without a plan, response time is slow, leading to higher costs, operational chaos, and reputational damage.
Reduce Downtime & Financial Losses
A cyberattack can cripple your business in minutes, but a well-prepared response plan keeps you in control. Without it, downtime escalates, recovery costs soar, and customer trust is lost
Meet Compliance Requirements & Avoid Legal Fines
PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and ISO 27001 mandate an Incident Response Plan. Non-compliance can lead to severe fines, lawsuits, and loss of business trust.
Prevent Data Breaches & Strengthen Customer Confidence
An IR Plan helps contain breaches before they escalate, protecting sensitive data, clients, and your reputation.
Faster Incident Containment Means Less Business Impact
Without a structured response, businesses take 277 days to identify and contain a breach on average. With an IR Plan, containment happens in hours, stopping threats before they spread.
Clarifies Roles & Streamlines Crisis Response
In a cyber crisis, confusion delays action. An IR Plan defines roles, responsibilities, and clear steps, ensuring faster, coordinated, and effective response to any security threat.
What is inside the Incident Response Playbook?
With easily customizable templates and checklists, pre-defined steps and procedures, industry best practices, and examples
Incident Response Report Template
Standardized documentation framework for logging security incidents, including timestamps, affected systems, response actions, and resolution steps.
Incident Plan Activation Instructions
Clear, step-by-step instructions on when and how to activate the IR plan during different attack scenarios (ransomware, phishing, insider threats).
Incident Response Team (Roles & Responsibilities)
Defines the roles of IT security, management, and legal teams. Who leads containment? Who communicates with stakeholders?
Incident Response Phases
A structured approach to cyber incidents: Prepare with risk assessments and training, detect threats via SIEM & EDR, contain infections, eradicate malware, recover data, and refine your plan with post-incident lessons.
Incident Communications (Internal & External)
Clear communication is critical. Ensure executives, IT, and SOC teams are alerted fast, while customers, regulators, and law enforcement are informed when necessary.
Annual Review & Approval
Cyber threats evolve—so should your plan. Regular updates keep it effective by refining processes, updating contacts, and ensuring compliance.
First of Its Kind! Our Incident Response Plan template integrates your MDR provider into the incident response steps for seamless collaboration, enhanced threat detection, and rapid recovery.
Incident Proceeding with the MDR Provider
Guidance on integrating your MDR provider for faster and more effective response.
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Security & Compliance Toolkit – Strengthen Your Cyber Resilience
A strong Incident Response Plan is just the beginning. Access expert-curated resources to improve your security, achieve compliance, and respond to cyber threats confidently.
- SOC 2 Compliance Checklist – Your step-by-step guide to SOC 2 security controls.
- SOC 2 Policy Templates – Pre-built policies to simplify compliance.
- ISO 27001 Internal Audit Checklist – Ensure security readiness with this essential checklist.
- Successive analysis of attack chains (MITRE ATT&CK coverage)
- Free ISO 27001 Policy Templates – Strengthen your security framework with ready-to-use policies.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Incident Response Plan?
An Incident Response Plan (IRP) is a structured approach to identifying, containing, eradicating, and recovering from cyber threats like data breaches, ransomware, and system intrusions. It helps businesses respond efficiently to security incidents and minimize damage.
What is an Incident Response Plan in Cybersecurity?
In cybersecurity, an Incident Response Plan is a documented strategy that guides IT and security teams through each phase of incident handling. It ensures quick detection, containment, and recovery from cyber threats while maintaining business continuity.
How to Create an Incident Response Plan?
Building an effective IR plan requires following a structured framework, such as the NIST incident response model. This includes preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. Customizing the plan based on business risks, industry regulations, and internal policies ensures a tailored approach to cybersecurity readiness.
What Are the Phases of Incident Response?
The six key phases of an incident response plan include preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. Preparation focuses on security policies and employee training. Identification involves detecting suspicious activity. Containment isolates affected systems to prevent further damage. Eradication removes the threat and patches vulnerabilities. Recovery restores business operations and verifies system integrity. Lessons learned ensure the plan is updated based on incident analysis.
Which Phase Comes After Preparation in an Incident Response Plan?
The identification phase follows preparation. This is where teams detect suspicious activity, analyze security alerts, and confirm a cyber incident. Prompt identification is critical to minimize damage and activate the appropriate response protocols.
What Are the Different Types of Incident Response Plans?
Incident response plans are tailored to specific threats and compliance needs. A data breach incident response plan template helps manage leaked data, forensic investigation, and compliance reporting. A ransomware incident response plan focuses on containment, decryption, and recovery without paying ransom. Businesses handling payments need a PCI incident response plan to meet PCI DSS security standards, while healthcare organizations use a HIPAA incident response plan to protect patient data and ensure compliance.
What Are the Benefits of an Incident Response Plan?
Having an incident response plan in place minimizes downtime, reduces financial and reputational damage, and ensures compliance with industry regulations like NIST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR. It improves threat detection capabilities and provides a structured approach to mitigating security incidents before they escalate.
What is the Difference Between an Incident Response Plan and a Disaster Recovery Plan?
An Incident Response Plan (IRP) focuses on detecting, containing, and mitigating cyberattacks, while a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) ensures business continuity after disruptive events like natural disasters, system failures, or cyber incidents. While both are essential, an IRP is more targeted at immediate security threats.
Do Small Businesses Need an Incident Response Plan?
Yes, small businesses are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as large enterprises. A well-structured incident response plan helps protect against phishing, ransomware, and data breaches while ensuring a quick recovery process. Small businesses can use an incident response plan template tailored to their specific security needs and resource limitations.
Can I See an Incident Response Plan Cybersecurity Example?
Yes, businesses can follow industry standards like the NIST incident response plan template to create a structured cybersecurity response plan. Examples typically include predefined response actions, communication protocols, and regulatory compliance steps to guide security teams through handling real-world cyber threats.
Where Can I Get an IT Incident Response Plan Template?
A free IT incident response plan template is available for businesses looking to improve their security posture. It includes key incident response steps, communication protocols, and compliance requirements, ensuring organizations are prepared to respond effectively to cyber threats.