Incident Response & NIST SP 800‑171 Compliance: Building a Bullet‑Proof Plan

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

• Documented incident‑response (IR) procedures are mandatory for DoD contractors handling CUI.
• Regular exercises and tabletop drills reveal gaps and build team muscle memory.
• Rapid reporting to stakeholders and the DoD primes coordinated mitigation and reduces breach impact.

Why Incident Response Matters

Even robust security controls can't eliminate every risk. A swift, coordinated response limits damage, satisfies contractual obligations, and protects your reputation. NIST SP 800‑171's Incident Response family (controls 3.6.1 – 3.6.3) establishes a clear framework:

1. Training and Testing – ensure personnel can execute the plan.
2. Reporting – notify internal and external stakeholders quickly.
3. Mitigation – contain, eradicate, and recover.

Build Your IR Playbook (3.6.1)

• Define Roles & Responsibilities – IR coordinator, legal, communications, SOC analysts.
• Establish Procedures – identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and post‑incident lessons learned.
• Map Communication Paths – internal leadership, affected customers, prime contractors, DoD reporting portals.
• Integrate Third‑Party Support – MSP, cyber counsel, forensics teams.

Train the Team (3.6.2)

Run quarterly tabletop exercises and annual live‑fire simulations. Document findings, assign action items, and update the IR plan. Training must cover:

• Recognizing phishing, ransomware, and insider threats.
• Escalation paths and decision‑making authority.
• Evidence preservation and chain‑of‑custody rules.

Rapidly Report & Mitigate (3.6.3)

Report Within 72 Hours – Many contracts stipulate DoD reporting within 72 hours of discovery. Provide initial indicators, system scope, and mitigation steps underway.

Mitigate in Parallel – While reporting, isolate affected systems, apply patches, and restore from known‑good backups.

Post‑Incident Review – Conduct root‑cause analysis, update controls, and share lessons with stakeholders.

Best Practices Checklist

1. Store IR plans in an easily accessible (yet secure) location.
2. Maintain on‑call rosters and escalation matrices.
3. Automate log collection to aid forensic investigations.
4. Coordinate with legal and PR teams for public communication.
5. Review and update the IR plan at least annually.

Next Step: Put Your Plan to the Test

Need help maturing your incident‑response capability? Total Assure provides:

• IR plan creation & gap analysis
• Tabletop exercises & red‑team drills
• 24/7 SOC monitoring & rapid containment

Contact our team for a free consultation and start protecting your CUI with confidence.

About Total Assure

Total Assure operates a U.S.‑based 24/7/365 SOC and offers managed security, GRC consulting, and incident‑response services tailored for DoD contractors and regulated SMBs.