Incident Response & GRC -  Incorporating Risk Lessons Into Future Strategy

Introduction

A software company experienced a ransomware attempt that temporarily locked access to critical client data. The incident was contained quickly, but leadership recognised the need to turn the event into a learning opportunity.

The Challenge
Although staff followed basic security protocols, the incident revealed gaps in reporting and response speed. Leadership wanted to ensure that lessons from the incident informed future policies and training.

The Approach
A structured review was conducted using GRC principles:

• Conducting a post-incident review to identify gaps in systems and processes.
• Updating incident response procedures to include step-by-step guidance for staff.
• Integrating lessons learned into staff training and tabletop exercises.
• Monitoring and measuring response times to ensure improvements were sustained.
  
  

Results
Future simulations showed a 50% faster response time. Staff were more confident in reporting anomalies, and no further incidents resulted in operational downtime. The company’s risk posture strengthened, and confidence among clients improved.

Key Takeaways

• Incident response should feed directly into policy updates and staff training.
• Reviews help transform mistakes into actionable improvements.
• Continuous monitoring ensures that lessons are embedded into daily operations.
  
  

Conclusion
Learning from incidents ensures a proactive and resilient approach to risk. RockSec360 can provide frameworks and evidence tracking that support this continuous improvement, making it easier for teams to embed lessons into daily practice.