Incident response plan
An incident response plan is a documented strategy outlining the processes, roles, and procedures an organization follows to detect, contain, and recover from cybersecurity or data incidents.
What is an incident response plan?
An incident response plan (IRP) provides a structured approach for identifying and managing security incidents, such as data breaches, system intrusions, or operational disruptions. It defines the roles and responsibilities of internal teams, communication protocols, escalation paths, and post-incident review steps.
An effective plan helps organizations minimize damage, reduce recovery time, and maintain compliance with data protection regulations such as the GDPR and DORA.
Incident response planning is a core component of broader cybersecurity, risk management, and operational resilience strategies.
Why an incident response plan matters
A well-designed incident response plan enables faster detection and containment of security events, limiting potential financial and reputational harm. It also ensures consistent, coordinated action across legal, IT, and communications teams.
Regulatory frameworks such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and ISO/IEC 27001 emphasize the need for documented response procedures and continuous improvement based on post-incident analysis.
Beyond compliance, incident response planning demonstrates a commitment to trust, transparency, and operational preparedness.
How an incident response plan is used in practice
- Establishing detection mechanisms for cybersecurity threats and anomalies
- Defining incident classification levels and escalation protocols
- Coordinating cross-functional response teams, including IT, legal, and communications
- Reporting data breaches to regulators and affected individuals as required
- Conducting post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and prevent recurrence
- Testing and updating the plan regularly to reflect new risks and technologies
Related laws & standards
- EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)
- ISO/IEC 27035 (Information Security Incident Management)
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework
- ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security Management)
How OneTrust helps with incident response planning
OneTrust helps organizations strengthen their incident response programs through centralized breach management, automated reporting, and evidence tracking. The platform supports compliance with global regulations by enabling teams to document, respond, and analyze incidents efficiently.
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FAQs about incident response plans
An incident response plan typically includes preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review phases to ensure a complete and continuous response cycle.
The incident response team generally includes representatives from IT security, legal, communications, compliance, and executive leadership to ensure coordinated decision-making and accountability.
Organizations should test their incident response plans at least annually or whenever there are significant changes in systems, personnel, or regulatory requirements.
