System Guides

A.5.25 "Assessment and Decision on Information Security Events" would include:

1. Event Assessment Procedures: Documented procedures outlining how information security events are assessed, including criteria for determining whether an event is an incident, the severity of the event, and the potential impact on the organization.

2. Incident Classification Criteria: Clear criteria for classifying events into different categories based on their severity and impact, such as low, medium, and high-risk events.

3. Escalation Process: Clearly defined procedures for escalating events to appropriate personnel or teams based on their severity and impact. This should include criteria for involving senior management and incident response teams.

4. Decision-Making Framework: A documented framework or decision matrix that guides the organization in determining the appropriate response actions for different types of events.

5. Risk Assessment: Evidence of risk assessments conducted to evaluate the potential impact and likelihood of events, helping prioritize the organization's response efforts.

6. Response Guidelines: Clearly defined guidelines for responding to events of different severity levels, including recommended actions, communication protocols, and escalation procedures.

7. Communication Plan: Documentation of how information security events are communicated within the organization, including whom to inform and the channels to use.

8. Reporting Mechanisms: Records of how events are reported to relevant stakeholders, such as incident response teams, management, legal, and regulatory bodies.

9. Coordination with External Parties: Proof of coordination efforts with external parties, such as third-party vendors, customers, law enforcement, and regulatory bodies, if required.

10. Documentation of Decisions: Evidence of decisions made regarding the appropriate response to events, along with the rationale for each decision.

11. Timely Responses: Records of prompt responses to events based on their severity, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to mitigate risks.

12. Lessons Learned: Documentation of lessons learned from past events, including how they were assessed, decisions made, and the effectiveness of the responses.

13. Continuous Improvement: Proof of efforts to continuously improve the event assessment and decision-making process based on feedback and lessons learned.

14. Review and Audit: Documentation of reviews and audits conducted to assess the effectiveness and consistency of event assessment and decision-making practices.

15. Training and Awareness: Records of training sessions and awareness programs for relevant personnel, ensuring they understand the event assessment and decision-making process.

16. Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Evidence that the event assessment and decision-making process aligns with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

By examining these pieces of evidence, an auditor can determine whether the organization has established a systematic and effective process for assessing and making decisions regarding information security events, thus ensuring a swift and appropriate response to minimize risks and potential impacts.

A.5.24 "Information Security Incident Management Planning and Preparation" would include:

1. Incident Response Plan (IRP): A documented incident response plan that outlines the organization's approach to detecting, reporting, responding to, and recovering from information security incidents.

2. Roles and Responsibilities: Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities for individuals involved in incident response, including the incident response team, communication team, management, legal, and external stakeholders.

3. Incident Classification: A defined classification scheme for categorizing incidents based on their severity and impact to ensure appropriate response actions are taken.

4. Incident Reporting Procedure: Detailed procedures for employees to report suspected or confirmed information security incidents to the incident response team.

5. Communication Plan: Documentation of how incidents will be communicated to internal and external stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies if required.

6. Escalation Process: Clearly defined escalation procedures that outline when and how incidents should be escalated to higher management or external entities.

7. Incident Response Playbooks: Specific playbooks or response guides for common types of incidents, including malware infections, data breaches, unauthorized access, and denial-of-service attacks.

8. Testing and Drills: Records of regular incident response testing and drills to ensure that the incident response team is well-prepared to handle various scenarios effectively.

9. Coordination with External Parties: Documentation of coordination efforts with external parties, such as law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and external incident response teams.

10. Documentation and Reporting: Records of incident documentation, including incident reports, timelines, actions taken, and lessons learned.

11. Training and Awareness: Proof of training and awareness programs conducted for employees to educate them about the incident response process and their roles during incidents.

12. Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement: Evidence of a feedback loop to capture lessons learned from each incident and use them to improve the incident response process continually.

13. Post-Incident Review: Documentation of post-incident reviews to assess the effectiveness of incident response efforts, identify areas for improvement, and update the incident response plan accordingly.

14. Technical Tools and Resources: Proof of the availability and proper functioning of technical tools and resources needed during incident response, such as forensics tools and communication channels.

15. Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Documentation of processes and procedures in place to ensure that incident response activities are compliant with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

16. Chain of Custody: Records of how evidence is collected, preserved, and maintained during incident investigations, ensuring the chain of custody is maintained for legal and evidentiary purposes.

17. Timely Response: Evidence of the organization's ability to respond promptly to incidents and mitigate their impact to prevent further damage.

By reviewing these pieces of evidence, an auditor can assess the organization's level of preparedness to handle information security incidents effectively, protect sensitive data, minimize disruptions, and maintain the trust of stakeholders.