Incident Response Engagement Preparation Checklist

This document is a checklist designed to assist organizations in preparing for an incident response engagement. It outlines the necessary steps and considerations to ensure a smooth and efficient response when a cybersecurity incident occurs. The checklist emphasizes the importance of having a single point of contact for coordination, who possesses the authority and visibility to approve actions and share information. It also highlights the need to collect relevant leads or artifacts for investigation, such as logs and alerts, and to define the systems and accounts that may be involved in the incident. Additionally, it advises pausing internal remediation efforts until forensic processes are initiated to preserve evidence. The document stresses the importance of identifying critical systems and operations, confirming secure communication channels, and aligning on reporting and executive briefings to keep all stakeholders informed. Overall, the checklist aims to facilitate a structured and effective incident response process.