CIS-Security Incident Response Interview Questions

Increasing and ongoing cyber-attacks by hackers, hacktivists, criminals and foreign intelligence agencies are demanding a response. CIS-Security Incident Response is the solution to these threats, and hence the high demand in companies. So in order to pass the final and the most important interview round, you must have the knowledge and skills to manage security incidents from beginning to end, including threat analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery. Also, you must be equipped with the tools necessary to handle security emergencies. Moreover, you ought to have a high level of understanding of trends and bottlenecks in security procedures.

Passing the CIS-Security Incident Response interview is not an easy thing. Now is your time to prepare yourself for a world of opportunity. So below is a comprehensive list of the highly expected questions for the CIS-Security Incident Response interview, to give you a head start. Let’s begin!

Advanced Interview Questions

What is your process for conducting a security incident investigation?

When conducting a security incident investigation, my process involves the following steps:

1. Preparation: Before I start the investigation, I make sure that I have all the necessary tools and resources, such as a digital forensics toolkit, network diagram, and access to relevant logs and systems. I also establish a clear scope and objectives for the investigation.
2. Data collection: I start by collecting as much relevant data as possible. This includes system logs, network traffic logs, and any other relevant information that can help me identify the cause of the security incident. I also collect information about the affected systems and any potential data breaches.
3. Analysis: Next, I analyze the data that I have collected. This involves identifying patterns, anomalies, and correlations that can help me determine the root cause of the incident. I also analyze the impact of the incident, including any data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information.
4. Reporting: Once I have a clear understanding of the incident and its impact, I prepare a detailed report that summarizes my findings and recommendations. I also provide a timeline of events and any relevant evidence that supports my conclusions.
5. Remediation: Based on my findings, I recommend steps to remediate the security incident and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. This may involve implementing new security measures, enhancing existing security controls, or conducting additional training for employees.
6. Follow-up: Finally, I follow up to ensure that my recommendations have been implemented and that the organization is better prepared to detect and respond to future security incidents. I also monitor the situation to ensure that the incident has been fully resolved and that there are no lingering risks to the organization’s security posture.

How do you prioritize and escalate security incidents?

Prioritizing and escalating security incidents is a critical step in ensuring that the right resources are applied to address security threats in a timely and effective manner. The following are the steps involved in prioritizing and escalating security incidents:

1. Define incident priority levels: The first step is to define the different priority levels of security incidents, such as high, medium, and low. This helps in determining the urgency of an incident and the resources required to resolve it.
2. Evaluate the threat level: After an incident has been identified, the next step is to assess the threat level of the incident. This involves evaluating the potential impact of the incident on the organization and the criticality of the affected systems and data.
3. Assign a priority: Based on the threat level assessment, the incident is assigned a priority level, which determines the urgency of the response. High-priority incidents require immediate attention and resources, while low-priority incidents may be addressed in a more relaxed manner.
4. Escalation procedures: The next step is to determine the escalation procedures, which outline the steps that need to be taken to address the incident. This includes determining the team responsible for resolving the incident, the steps involved in resolving the incident, and the time frame for resolution.
5. Notification and Communication: Once the priority and escalation procedures have been determined, the next step is to notify the relevant stakeholders and to keep them informed of the progress of the incident resolution. This includes regular updates on the status of the incident, the resources involved, and any impact on the organization.
6. Review and feedback: After the incident has been resolved, it is important to review the process and provide feedback to the stakeholders involved. This helps in identifying areas of improvement and making any necessary changes to the incident response process.

In conclusion, prioritizing and escalating security incidents is a critical step in ensuring that security threats are addressed in a timely and effective manner. It involves defining incident priority levels, evaluating the threat level, assigning a priority, determining escalation procedures, notifying stakeholders, and providing feedback.

How do you communicate with stakeholders during a security incident response process?

As a security professional, communication is a key aspect of my job when responding to a security incident. In such situations, it’s important for me to be clear, concise, and accurate in my interactions with stakeholders. I use the following methods to communicate with stakeholders during a security incident response process:

1. Email – I send out emails to stakeholders to keep them informed about the incident, its severity, and the steps that I am taking to mitigate the impact.
2. Conference Calls – I conduct conference calls to update stakeholders on the incident and answer any questions they may have. I also use this platform to coordinate with my team to ensure that we are all on the same page in terms of our response plan.
3. Status Reports – I provide regular status reports to stakeholders on the incident and its resolution status. This helps to keep them informed and provides them with an understanding of the situation.
4. Personal Interactions – I engage in personal interactions with stakeholders to provide them with more in-depth information about the incident. This helps to build trust and establish a clear understanding of the situation.
5. Social Media – I also use social media platforms to communicate with stakeholders, especially when the incident affects a large number of people. This helps to reach a wider audience and keep them informed of any updates.

In conclusion, it’s important for me to be proactive and transparent in my communications during a security incident response process. By providing regular updates, answering questions, and engaging in personal interactions, I can help to build trust and ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the situation.

What is your experience with threat intelligence and incident response planning?

I have been working in the cybersecurity field for several years now and have had the opportunity to be involved in both threat intelligence and incident response planning. My experience with threat intelligence has been a positive one as I have seen the impact it has had on an organization’s ability to defend itself against cyber-attacks.

I have been involved in several threat intelligence initiatives that have helped our organization stay ahead of the curve when it comes to identifying potential threats. We have implemented various tools and techniques to collect, analyze, and disseminate intelligence information, and this has greatly improved our ability to detect and respond to cyber-attacks. I have also been part of a team that has established partnerships with other organizations in the same industry, which has allowed us to share threat intelligence and collaborate on best practices.

In terms of incident response planning, I have been involved in several incident response drills and tabletop exercises, which have helped our organization refine our incident response plan. These exercises have allowed us to identify areas for improvement and have helped us develop stronger processes and procedures for responding to a cyber-attack. I have also been part of a team that has established incident response teams, trained response personnel, and developed communications plans to ensure that we can respond effectively and efficiently in the event of a breach.

Overall, my experience with threat intelligence and incident response planning has been a valuable one, and I believe that these initiatives are critical components of a comprehensive cybersecurity program. They help organizations be better prepared for cyber-attacks and allow them to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a breach.

How do you stay current with the latest security threats and vulnerabilities?

I, as a security professional, stay current with the latest security threats and vulnerabilities through various means. Firstly, I subscribe to several security newsletters and journals that provide regular updates on the latest threats and vulnerabilities. I also attend security conferences and webinars where security experts discuss the latest security challenges and how to tackle them.

I also have several industry contacts and belong to security communities where we exchange information and share insights. I participate in forums and discussions, attend hackathons and bug bounty programs, and contribute to open-source security projects. All these activities help me stay informed about the latest security trends and advances in the field.

In addition to staying informed, I also conduct regular scans and assessments of my own systems to identify any potential security weaknesses. I also keep my software and systems up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates.

Finally, I also stay informed about the latest security threats and vulnerabilities by reading the latest research papers, case studies, and best practices in the field. This helps me stay ahead of the curve and be better prepared to tackle any emerging security threats and vulnerabilities.

Can you explain the difference between incident response and disaster recovery?

Incident response and disaster recovery are two important concepts in the field of information security. While they are related, they refer to different processes and approaches.

Incident response refers to the process of identifying, assessing, and responding to a security breach or a threat. The main focus of incident response is to prevent further damage and minimize the impact of an attack. The goal is to quickly contain the problem, assess the extent of the damage, and recover critical systems and data. Incident response teams usually have a defined set of procedures and protocols in place to deal with a security incident.

Disaster recovery, on the other hand, refers to the process of restoring systems and data after a significant disaster or disruption. The objective of disaster recovery is to ensure that critical systems and data are available and operational as soon as possible. This involves creating backup plans, testing them, and having the necessary resources in place to implement them in the event of a disaster.

In summary, incident response focuses on addressing an immediate threat or security breach, while disaster recovery focuses on restoring systems and data after a major disruption. Both are crucial components of a comprehensive security strategy, and organizations should have well-defined plans in place for both.

How do you handle data privacy concerns during a security incident response?

When it comes to handling data privacy concerns during a security incident response, my first priority is to assess the situation and determine what kind of data has been impacted. If personal information, such as names, addresses, or financial information, has been compromised, I make sure to immediately secure the data to prevent further exposure.

Next, I follow the company’s established incident response plan to notify the appropriate authorities, such as law enforcement or a data protection authority, depending on the nature and extent of the breach. I also notify affected individuals and provide them with information on what steps they can take to protect their data.

In addition, I work with the rest of the security team to perform a thorough investigation of the incident to determine the cause and extent of the breach, and to identify any other areas of the system that may have been impacted.

Throughout the incident response process, I keep in mind the need to balance the need for a prompt resolution with the need to protect the privacy of affected individuals. I make sure to adhere to all relevant data protection laws and regulations and to follow industry best practices for handling security incidents.

Overall, my goal in handling data privacy concerns during a security incident response is to minimize harm to affected individuals and to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Can you describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision during a security incident response and how you approached it?

I was the incident response lead during a major security breach at my company. One of the servers had been compromised and sensitive data had been stolen. The stakes were high, and I had to make a difficult decision on how to proceed.

I approached the situation by taking a step back and gathering all the information I could about the breach. I consulted with my team, analyzed the data we had, and evaluated the risks involved. I also reached out to other departments within the company to get their perspective on the situation.

The decision I had to make was whether to immediately shut down the entire network to contain the breach or to keep it running so that we could track the attacker’s movements and gather more evidence. On one hand, shutting down the network would ensure that no further damage could be done, but on the other hand, it would also disrupt our operations and potentially make the attacker suspicious.

After weighing the pros and cons, I ultimately decided to keep the network running while closely monitoring it and implementing additional security measures to prevent further breaches. I also informed the relevant authorities and our customers of the situation and made sure they were aware of the steps we were taking to rectify it.

In conclusion, I approached this difficult situation by taking a methodical and informed approach. I gathered information, consulted with others, and made a decision based on the best available evidence. Ultimately, I put the security and interests of the company and its customers first.

Basic Interview Questions

1. What is the CIS-Security Incident Response?

Incident response is a plan for what to do when a computer system is damaged, hacked, or otherwise compromised. This can help you limit the damage and recover your system as quickly as possible. Incident response is the system and process for handling incidents, which is any kind of security breach or cyber attack.

2. What is your protocol for handling an incident response?

The Five Steps of Incident Response

• Preparation
• Detection and Reporting
• Triage and Analysis
• Containment and Neutralisation
• Post-Incident Activity.

3. In the event of a security incident, what should organizations do?

The company’s reputation could be damaged if misleading information is communicated. Consult with legal counsel before releasing information, and one should not release any technical information that would entice cybercriminals.

4. To what extent does a CIS-Security Incident Response Team play a role?

Incident response team responsibilities include developing a proactive plan to respond to cyber attacks, testing for and fixing vulnerabilities on your systems, implementing strong security measures, and providing support for all incident handling.

5. What is data visualization and how can it help you?

Data visualization is a powerful way to present your data in a way that users can interact with. Data visualization is the art and science of choosing the right chart to make sense of a huge amount of information.

6. What are the key components to creating a successful data visualization?

The key data visualization components are:

• Bar charts.
• Line charts.
• Area charts.
• Pie charts.
• Scatter charts.
• Bubble charts.

7. Could you name the three important categories of data visualization?

Explanatory visualizations are based on three main categories of relationships between three necessary players: the designer, the reader, and the data.

8. Can you explain the difference between data analysis and data visualization?

Data Analysis is the process of making your numbers talk. It turns your data into information so you can communicate it to others. Data visualization is a style of visual representation of information that helps you see data as a whole. 

9. Can we make a security incident out of an incident?

The Security Incident Response feature is activated by default. Using the Alert form, you can manually create incidents and security incidents to monitor the security of your environment. The system will check conditions before creating a task so that there are no duplicate tasks.

10. What is the simplest way of creating a security incident?

• First, sign on to the ServiceNow Store to download an app for the first time. Be sure you have entitlement for a Security Operations product or application.
• Then, install a Security Operations integration.
• Apply an update to an installed application from the ServiceNow Store
• Finally, upgrade your instance to the next family release.

11. What do you understand about threat intelligence?

Threat intelligence is information organizations use to understand the threats targeting their systems. It helps prepare for, prevent, and identify cyber threats looking to take advantage of valuable resources.

12. What is the importance of threat intelligence?

The benefits of using threat intelligence are widespread. Security analysts can use it to better identify threats, preventing misuse or theft of information assets. Intelligence analysts use it to uncover threat actors and make more accurate predictions.

13. Can you name the three types of threat intelligence data?

Cyber threat intelligence is divided in three main levels: strategic, tactical, and operational.

14. Can you describe your experience with the Strategic Cyber Threat Intelligence? 

Strategic Threat Intelligence provides important information about the cybersecurity postures and activities of organizations. It can also provide information about how much money is lost due to cyber attacks and how cyber crimes are affecting businesses.

15. What do you know about operational threat intelligence?

Operational Threat Intelligence is knowledge that helps defenders prepare for specific incoming cyber-attacks. It shows the nature of the attack, the identity of the threat actor, and usually when the attack will come.

16. How would you define what is an advanced threat intelligence?

Using the Bitdefender Global Protective Network, Bitdefender Advanced Threat Intelligence provides comprehensive threat intelligence services and feeds them into our Cyber-Threat Intelligence Labs. Here, hundreds of thousands of Indicators of Compromise are correlated and turned into actionable insights.

17. How would you avoid the overwhelming teams with threat intelligence?

Ideally, one should make use of the technologies that enable your team to focus on the analysis phase rather than just the data collection phase. Threat intelligence can help you prioritize threats in your environment so that you are focused on what is most important.

18. What are the sources of threat intelligence?

Organizations can gather threat intelligence from many sources, including information gathered from open source information sharing or communications with other threat information sharing groups. Moreover, they can gather threat intelligence from internal sources as well. These sources include an organization’s Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) or even log management tool.

19. Could you elucidate the features of threat intelligence?

The characteristics of a threat include its data on capabilities, infrastructure, motives, goals, and resources. By recognizing a threat’s characteristics, you will recognize your adversary. Once you recognize a threat, you will take protective action for higher protection for your organization. 

20. Do you know what a Mitre ATT&CK framework is?

MITRE ATT&CK®—short for MITRE’s Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge (ATT&CK) framework—is a knowledge base of cyber adversary behavior. The framework can help defenders understand how adversaries are using MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques in their attacks and can help defenders target their security controls.

21. What does persistence mean in MITRE ATT&CK?

Persistence is a technique used by bad actors to maintain access to systems through interruptions such as restarts and changed credentials. Persistence involves a hacker’s techniques for keeping access to a computer or network despite changes in user accounts, passwords, and other interruptions.

22. Can you explain what a pre-built integration is?

Pre-built integrations are software components that let you use features that are already available in other applications. They work with all kinds of platforms and enable you to use them on the platform you’re currently using.

23. What is a custom integration? 

There are many levels of customization when it comes to software integrations. If you’re looking to integrate your software with another piece of software or system, you may want to consider a custom integration, which means building a solution specific to your use case. If you don’t need something so customized, there are other types of integrations that may work better for your business.

24. Can you explain the importance of security incident management?

A comprehensive incident response process can help you avoid a potential loss of revenue. The faster you are able to detect and respond to any breach or security incident, the less likely it is that the breach or incident will have any significant impact on your crucial data, customer trust, reputation, and business as a whole.

25. Do you know what the latest ServiceNow user interface is?

The Real-Time User Interface (UI16) is the default for new instances. It provides for an an updated look, and also improves the usability by giving real-time form updates, user presence, and even a redesigned application navigator with several tabs for favorites and history, and also and enhanced activity streams.

26. Can you name the main UI16 components of the ServiceNow platform?

UI16 has three main components—Banner Frame, Application Navigator, and Content Frame—for displaying information from the database.

27. What is an escalation Path?

When a problem can’t be resolved within an agreed-upon timeframe, the issue is escalated to the appropriate level of management for a rapid resolution. Escalation path is the procedure to be followed when conflicts arise and cannot be resolved within an agreed time frame.

28. Can you name the different types of escalations?

The incident escalation processes are:

• Hierarchical escalation
• Functional escalation
• Automatic escalation

29. What are four chief reasons for escalation?

The four main reasons for using an escalation policy are:

• Firstly, ensuring that alerts are addressed
• For improving alert visibility
• Also, for guaranteeing that incidents are resolved within a time period
• Finally, for better communication

30. Can you differentiate between flow and workflow?

Unlike workflow rules, which execute automatically in the background, you can use flows to guide users through your business processes. Unlike other workflow activities, flows don’t have to be associated with a specific object. Further, they can also look up, create, update, and even delete records for multiple objects.