The Detection and Analysis phase is a critical step in the incident handling process where potential security incidents are identified, verified, and analyzed to determine their scope, impact, and appropriate response actions. This phase lays the foundation for effective incident response by ensuring that incidents are promptly detected, accurately verified, and thoroughly analyzed.
During the Detection and Analysis phase, security events are detected through various channels, such as security alerts, system logs, or user reports. These events are then verified to confirm that they are in fact security incidents. If confirmed, relevant data and evidence is collected and analyzed to understand the nature, extent, and potential impact of the incident. This phase involves the detection, verification, and analysis of security incidents to enable appropriate response actions.
Security incidents can be detected through a variety of channels, including:
Alerts from security information and event management (SIEM) systems: SIEM systems collect and analyze log data from multiple sources, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and applications. When predefined rules or correlation patterns are triggered, the SIEM generates alerts indicating potential security incidents.
Example log entry:
Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) alerts: IDS/IPS systems monitor network traffic and system activities for known attack patterns or suspicious behavior. When such activities are detected, alerts are generated.
Example log entry:
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) system alerts: EDR solutions monitor and analyze endpoint activities, such as process execution, file modifications, and network connections, to detect and respond to potential threats.
Example log entry:
Antivirus or other security product alerts: Security solutions like antivirus software, firewalls, and web application firewalls can generate alerts when they detect malicious activities or potential threats.
System and application logs: Reviewing system logs, such as Windows Event Logs or Linux system logs, can reveal potential security incidents, such as failed login attempts, unauthorized access, or system errors.
Example log entry:
User reports or complaints: End-users or system administrators may report suspicious activities, such as receiving phishing emails, observing unusual system behavior, or experiencing performance issues that could indicate a security incident.
External sources: Security advisories, threat intelligence feeds, or reports from trusted sources can provide information about new vulnerabilities, attack vectors, or ongoing cyber threats, prompting the need for incident detection and analysis.
It is essential to have robust monitoring and detection mechanisms in place to identify potential security incidents promptly.VerificationNot all detected events are actual security incidents. The verification process aims to confirm whether a detected event is indeed a security incident or a false positive. This step is crucial to avoid wasting resources on non-incidents and minimizing potential service disruptions.1During verification, incident responders should:
If the event is confirmed as a security incident, the incident responders should proceed to the analysis phase.AnalysisThe analysis phase involves gathering and examining all relevant data and evidence to understand the nature, scope, and potential impact of the security incident. This information is crucial for determining the appropriate containment, eradication, and recovery strategies.
During the analysis phase, incident responders should:
Collect and preserve relevant data and evidence: This includes logs, network captures, disk images, memory dumps, and any other artifacts that can provide insights into the incident. Proper evidence handling and preservation techniques should be followed to maintain the integrity of the evidence. Example log entry:
Identify the attack vectors, techniques, and indicators of compromise (IoCs): Analyze the collected data to determine how the incident occurred, what techniques were used by the threat actors, and what indicators (e.g., IP addresses, file hashes, domain names) can help identify the presence of the threat. Example log entry:
Determine the systems, data, and assets affected by the incident: Identify the scope of the incident by determining which systems, applications, or data have been compromised or impacted. Example log entry:
Assess the potential impact and damage caused by the incident: Evaluate the potential consequences of the incident, such as data breaches, financial losses, reputational damage, or regulatory compliance violations.
Identify the threat actors or sources behind the incident (if possible): Attempt to attribute the incident to specific threat actors, groups, or sources based on the collected evidence and known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
Document all findings and actions taken: Maintain detailed documentation of the analysis process, including the timeline of events, evidence collected, analysis results, and any actions taken during the analysis phase. This documentation will be crucial for the subsequent phases of the incident response process and for post-incident activities.
Thorough analysis is essential for developing an effective incident response plan and mitigating the impact of the security incident.
The Detection and Analysis phase is the foundation for an effective incident response process. By promptly detecting and verifying security incidents, and conducting a comprehensive analysis, organizations can better understand the nature and scope of the incident, enabling them to take appropriate actions to contain, eradicate, and recover from the incident effectively. Proper detection, verification, and analysis techniques, combined with the collection and preservation of relevant evidence, are critical for successful incident handling and minimizing the potential impact of security incidents.
