Incident Response Playbooks for Security Teams

When a security incident hits, teams rely on clear, repeatable playbooks. A well written incident response playbook reduces chaos, speeds decisions, and helps keep stakeholders informed. A good playbook guides you through the whole process, from detection to lessons learned, with defined roles and steps.

Across the lifecycle, a solid playbook covers detection, triage, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. It also names roles, lists contact details, and defines escalation paths. Use this starting guide to build or refine your own playbooks, tailored to your environment and threat model.

What to include in an incident response playbook

  • Purpose and scope
  • Roles and contact list
  • Detection and escalation criteria
  • Step-by-step play order
  • Evidence handling and chain of custody
  • Containment strategies
  • Eradication and recovery steps
  • Communications plan (internal and external)
  • Post-incident review
  • Runbooks for common threats

Practical tips for teams

  • Start with a few high‑risk use cases first.
  • Write in plain language, avoiding jargon.
  • Use checklists rather than long narratives.
  • Schedule regular drills and tabletop exercises.
  • Store playbooks in a shared, version‑controlled space.
  • Align with compliance, audit, and reporting needs.

A quick example scenario

Example: a suspected phishing email leads to a compromised account.

  • Detect and confirm: user reports unusual login; email filters flag the sender.
  • Triage: determine scope, list affected accounts, note risks.
  • Containment: disable suspicious accounts, enforce password resets, and block attacker IPs.
  • Eradication: remove phishing access, restore legitimate sessions, apply warnings.
  • Recovery: monitor activity, re-enable services, validate data integrity.
  • Lessons: update indicators, reinforce training, and improve phishing blocks.

Keep it living: review and drill

Run quarterly reviews, update contact lists, and rehearse with a tabletop exercise. Track gaps, adjust playbooks, and publish changes. A living IR program adapts to new threats and keeps teams confident.

Key Takeaways

  • A clear IR playbook speeds response and improves communication.
  • Include roles, steps, evidence handling, and a media plan.
  • Regular drills and updates keep the playbook effective over time.