Ethical Hacking News
When hackers break into an organization's systems, the damage can be extensive, but the aftermath can be even more devastating if the breach is not handled properly. Experts in the field stress the importance of maintaining an up-to-date and well-rehearsed cyber resilience plan and sharing knowledge among vendors to minimize losses and reduce the risk of future breaches.
Underestimating the complexity of the attack chain is a critical mistake in incident response.Failing to have an up-to-date and well-rehearsed cyber resilience plan can lead to significant financial losses.A culture of sharing knowledge and collaboration among vendors is essential for effective incident response.Not getting too narrowly focused on the investigation can lead to missing critical evidence.Attempting partial restorations without fully understanding the scope of the compromise can cause reinfection or data loss.Lack of visibility in forensic capability can make it difficult to determine what data was exfiltrated, when, and by whom.
The world of cybersecurity is riddled with pitfalls, and few mistakes can be as costly as a botched incident response. When hackers break into an organization's systems, the damage can be extensive, but the aftermath can be even more devastating if the breach is not handled properly.
According to experts in the field, one of the most critical errors that organizations make during an incident response is underestimating the complexity of the attack chain. Without a thorough understanding of how the attackers gained access to their systems, companies struggle to assess the true impact, notify affected stakeholders, and meet compliance requirements – all while trying to restore business operations under intense pressure.
Jessica Lyons, VP of research and development at Hunter Strategy, echoes this sentiment. "The mishaps made in this investigation are easily a seven-figure mistake," she adds. These types of errors can lead to significant financial losses, as infected companies usually don't want to pay the ransom demand, which pumps more money into the criminal ecosystem.
Experts stress that maintaining an up-to-date and well-rehearsed cyber resilience plan is crucial when it comes to incident response. "Be IR ready," advises Microsoft's Director of Incident Response Ping Look. This means having a current incident response plan that is both regularly rehearsed and able to be updated, as well as having an incident response retainer already in place.
Furthermore, companies need to develop a culture of sharing knowledge and collaboration among vendors during an incident. "Some companies think they are protecting themselves by keeping all the vendors apart, but security is a team sport," Look tells us.
Mandiant Consulting CTO Charles Carmakal emphasizes the importance of not getting too narrowly focused on the investigation, as this can lead to missing critical evidence. "Maybe you think the incident is limited to a particular system or environment," he says. "But it could be broader."
The pressure to respond quickly during an incident can also lead companies to make mistakes, such as attempting partial restorations without fully understanding the scope of the compromise. This can cause reinfection or data loss.
Visibility is another issue that can complicate investigations. Many organizations lack the forensic capability to determine what data was exfiltrated, when, and by whom.
In the event of a ransomware attack, visibility is already an issue due to the nature of these attacks. Ransomware groups often steal sensitive data before they lock it up, making it difficult for companies to determine the scope of the compromise.
CrowdStrike's James Perry notes that many organizations lack tested response plans or decision-making frameworks for the aftermath of a ransomware attack. This can lead to rushed or poorly coordinated actions, which can cause reinfection or data loss.
To avoid these pitfalls, companies need to develop a robust incident response plan and maintain it regularly. They also need to have an incident response retainer in place, as well as a culture of knowledge sharing among vendors.
In the event of a breach, having a clear timeline and access propagation diagram can be crucial. This helps ensure that all relevant information is documented and shared among stakeholders.
In conclusion, incident response is a critical aspect of cybersecurity, and getting it wrong can have devastating consequences for organizations. By understanding the common pitfalls that companies make during an incident response and taking steps to avoid them, businesses can minimize their losses and reduce the risk of future breaches.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Dark-Side-of-Incident-Response-How-Not-to-F-up-Your-Security-Breach-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/03/10/incident_response_advice/
Published: Mon Mar 10 09:54:56 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
