Cybersecurity IR: A Thematic-analysis of Practitioner Plans, Policies, and Guidelines

Abstract

Though Information Technology (IT) is ubiquitous in today’s business world, the security aspects of IT are still relatively new and unexplored topics for many companies. One of these security aspects however, Incident Response (IR), is quickly becoming understood as a business necessity, and no longer just a term isolated to the IT department. In some industries such as finance, health, or government contracting, a company-wide, enterprise-involved incident response strategy is mandatory for compliance, and continued operations in the competitive space. Even for companies not working in these industries, reporting data breaches in the United States is mandatory for 48 of 50 states, and in Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam (Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 2019).

Using an immersion and crystallization process where IR plans, policies, and guidelines are assessed using thematic-analysis, this research intends to identify themes and common topics of a wide array of IR documentation. The documents were found in different industries, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and guidance that could be considered marketing or non-marketing efforts. This study reviewed 70 documents that were coded and analyzed. As a result, 7 themes emerged: communications plan, consequences of incident, goals of IR, IR operations, IR plan, IR policy, and IR team. The themes that emerged in the analysis were presented to assist organizations to create or update their IR programs.