The Role of Technology in Enhancing Incident Response Call Etiquette

The interconnectedness of today’s business environment has significantly heightened the complexity of incident response (IR). The need for immediate action, precise communication, and real-time collaboration is more critical than ever. However, beyond the technical precision required in solving problems, there lies an often overlooked aspect of effective IR management: the etiquette of incident response calls. As companies become more global and teams more dispersed, mastering this facet of communication becomes paramount. Technology plays a pivotal role in transforming these calls from chaotic discussions into efficient, clear, and courteous exchanges that enable swift resolution of issues.

This blog delves into how technology enhances incident response call etiquette, from enabling clarity to ensuring respect and maintaining focus. It goes beyond the common guidelines for on-call management, exploring the nuances of modern tools and platforms that facilitate the kind of professionalism and efficiency critical to effective incident response, especially during cyber incidents.

What is Incident Response?

Incident response is a critical component of an organization’s cybersecurity strategy, designed to prepare for, detect, contain, and recover from security incidents. It involves a set of steps and procedures to minimize the impact of a security incident and restore normal business operations as quickly as possible. Incident response is essential for organizations to respond effectively to security incidents, such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other types of cyber threats.

Incident Response Plan

An incident response plan is a document that outlines an organization’s procedures, steps, and responsibilities for its incident response program. It includes details such as roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, incident classification and prioritization, containment and eradication procedures, and recovery and post-incident activities. An incident response plan is essential for organizations to ensure that they are prepared to respond to security incidents in a timely and effective manner. It provides a framework for communication with stakeholders, including investors, shareholders, customers, the media, judges, and auditors. Incident response frameworks provide valuable guidelines for developing these incident response plans.

Incident Response Team

A computer incident response team is a group of individuals responsible for responding to security incidents. This team is also known as a computer emergency response team (CERT). The team typically consists of various incident response team members, such as IT and security professionals, including network engineers, systems administrators, and cybersecurity analysts. It is crucial to have an incident response manager as part of the team to coordinate responses and involve all necessary stakeholders. The team may also include a legal advisor, a communications specialist, and an executive sponsor. The incident response team is responsible for detecting and responding to security incidents, containing and eradicating the threat, and recovering data and systems. They also conduct post-incident activities, such as lessons learned and incident review.

Incident Response Services

Incident response services are designed to help organizations respond to and manage security incidents effectively. These services typically encompass a range of activities, including incident detection and analysis, containment and eradication, recovery and restoration, and post-incident activities. Whether provided by internal teams or external vendors, these services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of an organization.

Incident response services offer several key benefits. They provide expert guidance and support during a security incident, helping to minimize the impact and restore normal business operations as quickly as possible. Additionally, they assist organizations in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, improving their incident response processes, and reducing the risk of future incidents.

Common types of incident response services include:

• Incident Detection and Analysis: This involves identifying and analyzing security incidents to determine their scope and impact. Effective incident detection is crucial for a timely response.
• Containment and Eradication: This step focuses on containing the threat and eradicating it from the affected systems. Quick containment prevents the incident from spreading, while eradication ensures the threat is completely removed.
• Recovery and Restoration: After the threat is neutralized, the focus shifts to recovering data and systems and restoring normal business operations. This step is vital for minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity.
• Post-Incident Activities: These activities involve conducting lessons learned and incident reviews to identify areas for improvement. This continuous improvement process helps in refining the incident response strategy and preparing for future incidents.

By leveraging incident response services, organizations can enhance their ability to manage security incidents effectively, ensuring a swift and efficient return to normal operations.

The Evolution of Incident Response Calls: From Crisis Rooms to Virtual Spaces for Incident Response Teams

Traditionally, incident response was managed in physical "war rooms," where key stakeholders gathered to assess, diagnose, and resolve issues. With the rise of distributed workforces and global teams, these crisis rooms have shifted to virtual spaces. Now, most incident response calls happen over platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or dedicated incident response tools like Squadcast or PagerDuty.

This shift brings both benefits and challenges. On one hand, technology allows for immediate connection between individuals regardless of geographical barriers. On the other, it increases the complexity of managing communication etiquette when teams may be separated by time zones, cultural differences, and varying levels of familiarity with communication tools.

Technology, however, can be used to address these challenges, providing structures that support both effective communication and appropriate behavior during incident response calls.

Read more about: Traditional vs Modern Incident Response

Clarity: Enabling Clear and Purposeful Communication

One of the most important aspects of on-call etiquette is clarity—both in terms of understanding the problem at hand and in communicating the steps required to resolve it. Technology plays a vital role in enhancing this clarity, offering tools that ensure everyone on the call is aligned on the objectives and next steps.

1. Structured Communication Tools: Incident response platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams enable threaded conversations, helping responders keep track of key points without getting lost in a sea of chatter. Tools like these also allow for the categorization of conversations, making it easier to reference previous discussions.
2. Real-Time Document Collaboration: Platforms like Squadcast, Notion, or Confluence provide real-time collaboration for incident notes, timelines, and action items. This ensures that call participants can reference live updates and avoid confusion caused by miscommunication or outdated information.
3. Automated Meeting Summaries and Postmortem Templates: AI-driven tools can transcribe incident response calls and generate automated summaries, capturing key decisions for easy reference. This streamlines post-call follow-ups and minimizes the chance of overlooking critical details during discussions. Platforms like Squadcast further enhance this process with their postmortem templates, offering structured formats to document incidents, root causes, and action items, ensuring comprehensive analysis and continuous improvement.

When clarity is supported by these technologies, it becomes easier for teams to maintain focus and avoid the frustration that often comes with ambiguous instructions or unclear problem definitions.

Focus and Efficiency: Maintaining Discipline in the Incident Response Process

Incident response calls are inherently high-stakes, with time being one of the most critical factors. As such, maintaining focus is vital, and technology can help reduce the distractions that often derail effective communication.

1. Pre-defined Call Protocols: Incident management platforms can establish predefined protocols that guide the flow of the conversation. For instance, the platform can prompt participants to give status updates at specific intervals or set up on-call reminders which aids responders in following escalation procedures. This prevents unnecessary digressions and ensures that the call remains focused on resolution.
2. Alert Deduplication Rules: Managing alert noise is crucial to staying focused during incident response. Alert deduplication helps by grouping similar alerts together, reducing unnecessary distractions. Squadcast, for instance, allows teams to define Deduplication Rules for each service, ensuring that related alerts are consolidated and easy to access when needed. This keeps the focus on resolving the core issue without being overwhelmed by redundant notifications.
3. Time Management Tools: Technologies that track and manage time during the call can be instrumental in maintaining focus. For instance, platforms like When2Meet or World Time Buddy can help schedule calls across multiple time zones, ensuring participants are on the call when they are at their most alert and focused. Additionally, tools like Google Timer can be used to remind participants to keep their updates concise.
4. Role-Based Access Control: Many incident response platforms allow for role-based permissions, which can be instrumental in preventing confusion during calls. With only the right people having access to sensitive data or the ability to control specific tools, these permissions prevent unnecessary interruptions or missteps that may occur if the wrong person takes action.

By leveraging these technologies, teams can maintain the level of discipline required in an incident response call, ensuring that every minute is spent driving toward resolution.

Respect and Inclusion: Navigating Cultural and Hierarchical Differences in the Incident Response Plan

Incident response teams often consist of individuals from different regions, backgrounds, and seniority levels. Effective etiquette involves respecting these differences and ensuring that everyone's voice is heard, particularly in high-pressure situations. Here's how technology can foster respect and inclusion:

1. Inclusive Communication Features: Platforms like Zoom and Teams now offer live captioning, making calls more accessible to participants who may have hearing impairments or language barriers. These features not only promote inclusivity but also encourage clear and respectful communication by ensuring that everyone can follow the conversation.
2. Automated Action Item Assignments: Incident response platforms often include task management features that assign action items automatically based on roles or input during the call. This reduces ambiguity and the need for individuals to advocate for their involvement, ensuring that responsibilities are fairly distributed.
3. Cultural Sensitivity Tools: With global teams, cross-cultural etiquette is important. Some platforms offer features like time zone indicators, which highlight when participants may be working outside of normal hours, encouraging empathy during calls. AI-driven tools are also beginning to offer real-time language translation, breaking down linguistic barriers that can lead to miscommunication or accidental disrespect.

By using these tools, organizations can create an environment where every participant feels valued and respected, regardless of their background or location.

Psychological Safety: Managing Stress and Emotions in High-Stakes Calls

Incident response calls often happen in moments of high stress, where tensions run high, and emotions can flare. Technology can aid in creating an atmosphere of psychological safety, where participants feel supported and able to contribute without fear of negative repercussions.

1. Blameless Postmortems: Incidents are inevitable, and blameless postmortems are key to fostering a culture of learning. Instead of focusing on individuals, they emphasize understanding the conditions that led to the incident. This approach encourages open communication and transparency. Tools like Squadcast's customizable postmortem templates guide teams through structured, blameless reviews, driving actionable improvements without assigning blame.
2. AI-Driven Sentiment Analysis: Some platforms now offer sentiment analysis tools, which monitor the tone of the conversation and provide insights into the emotional state of participants. This can alert leaders to potential tension or frustration, allowing them to intervene before the situation escalates.
3. Virtual Breakout Rooms: In lengthy incident response calls, attention and tempers can wane. Virtual breakout rooms enable smaller groups to tackle specific problems without overwhelming the larger call. This can help ease pressure and allow for more focused, calm problem-solving.
4. Wellness and Stress Monitoring: Some tools, particularly those integrated with wearables, offer wellness tracking for incident responders. These tools monitor stress levels and suggest breaks or mindfulness exercises to prevent burnout during prolonged incident response activities.

By implementing these technologies, organizations can foster a culture of psychological safety, where team members can engage in incident response calls without the fear of judgment or burnout.

Challenges in Incident Response

Incident response can be fraught with challenges, making it a complex and demanding task for incident response teams. One of the most significant challenges is the lack of preparedness. Many organizations do not have a formal incident response plan, and they may lack the necessary skills and resources to respond to a security incident effectively.

The complexity of modern security incidents adds another layer of difficulty. These incidents can be sophisticated and hard to detect, often involving multiple systems and data sources. This complexity can hinder the ability of incident response teams to quickly identify and contain the incident.

Additionally, incident response is inherently time-consuming and resource-intensive. Responding to a security incident requires a significant amount of time and effort, which can divert resources away from other critical activities. Effective incident response also demands robust internal and external communications to ensure all stakeholders are informed and coordinated.

Common challenges in incident response include:

• Lack of Preparedness: Without a formal incident response plan, organizations may struggle to respond effectively to security incidents. Preparedness involves having a well-defined plan and trained personnel ready to act.
• Complexity of Modern Security Incidents: Today’s security incidents are often sophisticated and involve multiple systems, making them difficult to detect and contain. This complexity requires advanced tools and expertise.
• Time-Consuming and Resource-Intensive: Incident response can divert significant resources from other important activities. Efficient resource allocation and time management are crucial for effective incident response.
• Communication Challenges: Effective communication with stakeholders, including internal and external communications, is essential for a coordinated response. Clear and timely communication helps in managing the incident and mitigating its impact.

Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive incident response plan, continuous training, and the use of advanced incident response tools and technologies.

Regulatory Compliance and Reputation

Incident response is not only critical for managing security incidents but also for ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting an organization’s reputation. Security incidents can have severe consequences, including regulatory penalties and damage to an organization’s reputation.

Regulatory compliance is a fundamental aspect of incident response. Organizations must adhere to relevant laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Incident response plans must be designed to meet these regulatory requirements and should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure ongoing compliance.

Reputation management is equally important. Security incidents can erode customer trust and confidence, leading to long-term damage to an organization’s reputation. Effective incident response plans should include strategies for minimizing the impact of a security incident on reputation, including clear and transparent communication with stakeholders.

Common regulatory compliance requirements for incident response include:

• GDPR: The GDPR mandates that organizations have an incident response plan in place and notify relevant authorities in the event of a security incident. Compliance with GDPR helps protect personal data and maintain customer trust.
• HIPAA: HIPAA requires organizations to have an incident response plan and to notify patients and relevant authorities in the event of a security incident. This ensures the protection of sensitive health information.
• PCI DSS: The PCI DSS requires organizations to have an incident response plan and to notify relevant authorities in the event of a security incident. Compliance with PCI DSS helps protect payment card information.

Strategies for managing reputation during an incident response include:

• Communication: Clear and transparent communication with stakeholders is critical during an incident response. Organizations should provide regular updates on the status of the response and the steps being taken to address the incident.
• Transparency: Being transparent about the incident, including its cause and the response measures, helps build trust with stakeholders. Transparency demonstrates accountability and a commitment to resolving the issue.
• Accountability: Taking responsibility for the incident and the response is essential. Organizations should be accountable for their actions and demonstrate a commitment to preventing future incidents.

By focusing on regulatory compliance and reputation management, organizations can navigate the complexities of incident response while maintaining trust and confidence among their stakeholders.

Effective Incident Response Process

An effective incident response process involves several key steps, including preparation, detection and analysis, containment and eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities. Preparation involves developing an incident response plan, establishing an incident response team, and setting up communication channels and escalation procedures. Detection and analysis involve identifying and analyzing security incidents to determine their scope and impact. Containment and eradication involve containing the incident and eradicating the threat. Recovery involves recovering data and systems, and post-incident activities involve conducting lessons learned and incident review. An effective incident response process is essential for organizations to minimize the impact of security incidents and restore normal business operations as quickly as possible.

The Future of Incident Response Call Etiquette: The Role of AI and Incident Response Technology

As technology continues to evolve, the role of AI and automation in enhancing incident response call etiquette will only grow. Incident response programs must adapt to these advancements, integrating AI and automation to handle the complexities of modern cybersecurity environments. AI has the potential to revolutionize how incident response calls are conducted, reducing human error and improving communication flow.

1. AI-Moderated Calls: In the future, we may see AI moderators that guide incident response calls, prompting participants to follow procedures, reminding individuals to stay on task, and even managing time and speaking order.
2. Predictive Analytics for Incident Response: AI tools could analyze past incidents to predict potential bottlenecks in communication or decision-making during calls, allowing teams to address these issues proactively.
3. Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Incident Resolution: NLP could be used to analyze real-time conversations, identifying technical jargon or unclear language that could cause confusion. AI could then suggest clearer language or provide immediate definitions for unfamiliar terms.
4. Virtual Assistants for Incident Coordination: AI-powered virtual assistants may eventually coordinate incident response efforts by automatically scheduling calls, notifying stakeholders, and providing real-time updates during calls. These assistants can ensure that the right people are on the call at the right time, with all necessary information at their fingertips.

Conclusion

In the world of incident response, technology is a powerful enabler not only of technical solutions but also of the etiquette required to manage high-pressure, complex communication effectively. From fostering clarity and focus to ensuring respect and psychological safety, modern incident response tools and platforms provide the foundation for successful incident response calls. As AI and automation continue to evolve, we can expect incident response call etiquette to become even more structured, efficient, and respectful—ensuring that teams can resolve issues quickly and collaboratively.

‍