Incident Management Policy

Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish the procedures for managing incidents that affect the availability, confidentiality, or integrity of our web app. Scope This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party vendors who use or have access to our web app. Incident Classification All incidents affecting the web app will be classified according to their severity, impact, and urgency. The following classification levels will be used: Level 1: Critical Incident – affects the availability, confidentiality, or integrity of the web app and requires immediate attention. Level 2: High Incident – affects the usability or functionality of the web app and requires prompt attention. Level 3: Medium Incident – affects the performance or functionality of the web app and can be resolved within a reasonable time. Level 4: Low Incident – affects the performance that does not cause a significant slowdown or outage, but may still affect the user experience. Incident Response Procedures The incident response procedures are designed to ensure a timely and effective response to incidents affecting the web app. The following steps will be taken in the event of an incident: Step 1: Identification and Notification Any employee, contractor, or third-party vendor who discovers an incident must immediately notify the incident response team. The incident response team consists of the following members: • Incident Coordinator – responsible for coordinating the incident response efforts and communicating with the stakeholders. • Technical Lead – responsible for assessing the technical impact of the incident and identifying the necessary actions to mitigate it. • Communications Lead – responsible for communicating with the stakeholders and providing regular updates on the incident status. Step 2: Assessment and Classification The incident response team will assess the incident and classify it according to the severity, impact, and urgency. Step 3: Containment and Mitigation The incident response team will take immediate action to contain the incident and mitigate its impact. This may involve disabling affected services, reverting to a previous version of the web app, or implementing temporary workarounds. Step 4: Investigation and Root Cause Analysis After the incident has been contained and the web app is stable, the incident response team will conduct an investigation to determine the root cause of the incident. This may involve analysing system logs, reviewing security controls, and interviewing personnel. Step 5: Resolution and Recovery Once the root cause has been identified, the incident response team will take steps to resolve the incident and restore the web app to normal operations. This may involve applying software patches, updating security controls, or restoring data from backups. Step 6: Post-Incident Review After the incident has been resolved, the incident response team will conduct a post-incident review to evaluate the effectiveness of the incident response procedures and identify areas for improvement. Incident Reporting and Documentation All incidents affecting the web app must be documented in a central incident management system. The following information must be recorded for each incident: • Date and time of the incident • Description of the incident and its impact • Incident classification level • Actions taken to contain and mitigate the incident • Root cause analysis findings • Actions taken to resolve the incident • Lessons learned and recommendations for improvement Incident Management Training and Awareness All employees, contractors, and third-party vendors who use or have access to the web app must receive training on the incident management policy and procedures. This training must be provided on a regular basis and include simulations and exercises to test the incident response capabilities. Policy Review and Update This policy will be reviewed and updated annually or as needed to ensure its continued effectiveness and relevance.