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ISO 27001 docx

Incident Response Plan Template

When a security incident strikes — a data breach, ransomware attack, or unauthorized access to sensitive systems — the difference between a manageable event and a catastrophic one often comes down to whether your team has a clear, practiced plan to follow. This incident response plan template provides a comprehensive, ready-to-customize framework for detecting, responding to, containing, and recovering from information security incidents, aligned with ISO 27001:2022 requirements and industry best practices from NIST and SANS. The template covers the complete incident response lifecycle: preparation (roles, responsibilities, communication channels, escalation criteria), identification (detection mechanisms, initial triage, severity classification), containment (short-term and long-term containment strategies), eradication (root cause analysis, threat removal procedures), recovery (system restoration, verification, monitoring), and lessons learned (post-incident review, process improvement). Each phase includes detailed procedures, decision trees for common scenarios, and pre-formatted communication templates for internal and external stakeholders. Beyond the core response procedures, the template addresses the regulatory reporting requirements that many organizations overlook until an incident occurs. It includes notification timeline checklists aligned with GDPR (72-hour supervisory authority notification), NIS2 (24-hour early warning, 72-hour notification), and other frameworks. It also provides templates for data breach notifications to affected individuals, board reporting formats, and media communication guidelines. For ISO 27001 certification specifically, auditors will verify that your incident response plan exists, is communicated to relevant personnel, and has been tested — this template helps you satisfy all three requirements. The included tabletop exercise scenarios allow you to practice your response procedures with your team, generating the evidence of testing that auditors expect to see.

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Incident Response Plan Template

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What's Inside

Complete incident response plan covering all six phases: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, Lessons Learned
Incident severity classification matrix with clear criteria for Critical, High, Medium, and Low severity incidents
Escalation procedures and decision trees for common incident scenarios (data breach, ransomware, DDoS, insider threat)
Incident response team role definitions with responsibilities for Incident Commander, Technical Lead, Communications Lead, and Legal Liaison
Pre-formatted communication templates for executives, board, customers, regulators, and media
Regulatory notification timeline checklists aligned with GDPR, NIS2, and national breach notification laws
Evidence preservation and chain-of-custody procedures for forensic investigations
Three tabletop exercise scenarios with facilitator guides to test and practice your incident response procedures

Who It's For

CISOs and security teams building or updating their organization's incident response capabilities CTOs at startups who need to establish incident response procedures before their first ISO 27001 audit IT managers responsible for detecting and responding to security incidents Compliance officers ensuring incident response procedures meet regulatory notification requirements DevOps and SRE teams who need to integrate security incident response with operational incident management

How It Works

1

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2

Fill in assessment

Work through each section using the built-in guidance and examples.

3

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this incident response plan suitable for small companies?
Yes. The template is designed to scale to your organization's size. For small companies, many roles can be consolidated — the same person might serve as Incident Commander and Technical Lead. The template includes guidance on adapting the plan for small teams while maintaining the essential response capabilities that auditors and regulators expect.
How often should I test my incident response plan?
ISO 27001 expects regular testing but does not prescribe a specific frequency. Best practice is to conduct a tabletop exercise at least annually, with more frequent testing for critical scenarios. The template includes three ready-to-use tabletop exercise scenarios with facilitator guides, making it straightforward to schedule and run practice sessions with your team.
Does this template cover GDPR breach notification requirements?
Yes. The template includes specific procedures and timeline checklists for GDPR Article 33 (notification to supervisory authority within 72 hours) and Article 34 (notification to affected data subjects when there is a high risk to their rights and freedoms). It also covers NIS2 notification requirements for organizations subject to that directive.
What is the difference between this and a business continuity plan?
An incident response plan focuses specifically on security incidents — detecting, containing, and recovering from events like data breaches, malware infections, or unauthorized access. A business continuity plan covers broader operational disruptions (natural disasters, facility issues, pandemic response). While they overlap in the recovery phase, they serve different purposes. ISO 27001 requires both. This template focuses on the security incident response component.

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