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NERC CIP Incident Response and Recovery Audit Checklist

A comprehensive checklist for auditing incident response capabilities, recovery planning, and compliance with NERC CIP standards in energy and utilities companies, focusing on effectively managing and recovering from cybersecurity incidents that could impact critical infrastructure.

NERC CIP Incident Response and Recovery Audit Checklist

by: audit-now
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About This Checklist

The NERC CIP Incident Response and Recovery Audit Checklist is a crucial tool for energy and utilities companies to ensure compliance with critical infrastructure protection standards related to cybersecurity incidents and system recovery. This comprehensive checklist addresses the incident response, reporting, and recovery planning requirements of NERC CIP, helping organizations assess and improve their readiness to detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents. By implementing this checklist, companies can enhance their incident management capabilities, minimize downtime, and ensure rapid and effective response to potential threats to critical infrastructure.

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Industry

Energy and Utilities

Standard

NERC CIP - Critical Infrastructure Protection

Workspaces

Control Rooms
Data Centers
Emergency Services
Secure Facilities

Occupations

Cybersecurity Incident Response Specialist
IT Disaster Recovery Manager
Compliance Officer
Operations Manager
Communications Coordinator
1
Is there a robust incident detection mechanism in place?
2
Briefly describe the incident response procedures in place.
3
What is the average response time to incidents in minutes?
Min: 0
Target: 15
Max: 120
4
Is post-incident analysis conducted after each incident?
5
Have the system restoration procedures been reviewed and updated recently?
6
How often are backups performed (in hours)?
Min: 1
Target: 24
Max: 72
7
Describe the training provided to the incident response team.
8
Is the incident response and recovery process compliant with regulatory requirements?
9
Are the incident reporting protocols followed consistently?
10
When was the last incident reported?
11
Provide a summary of the incident analysis conducted.
12
How many incidents have occurred in the past year?
Min: 0
Target: 10
Max: 100
13
What is the current preparedness level for handling cyber incidents?
14
Is the incident response plan readily available to the team?
15
What is the defined Recovery Time Objective (RTO) in hours?
Min: 0
Target: 4
Max: 48
16
Describe any incident simulation exercises conducted in the last year.
17
Have all critical infrastructure components been identified and documented?
18
How often are vulnerability assessments conducted on critical infrastructure (in months)?
Min: 1
Target: 6
Max: 12
19
Has the emergency response plan been tested in the last year?
20
Describe the process for conducting post-incident reviews.

FAQs

The checklist covers incident detection mechanisms, response procedures, reporting protocols, communication plans, recovery strategies, system restoration processes, and post-incident analysis and documentation.

It provides a structured approach to evaluating incident response and recovery practices, ensuring that organizations have robust plans, tools, and processes in place to effectively manage cybersecurity incidents in compliance with NERC CIP standards.

The audit should involve cybersecurity incident response teams, IT disaster recovery specialists, compliance officers, operations managers, and communications personnel to ensure comprehensive coverage of all relevant areas.

While formal NERC audits occur every three years, it's recommended to conduct internal incident response and recovery audits annually, with tabletop exercises and simulations performed quarterly to test and refine procedures.

The checklist helps companies systematically evaluate their incident response and recovery capabilities, ensure compliance with NERC CIP standards, and maintain a state of readiness to effectively manage and recover from cybersecurity incidents that could impact critical infrastructure.

Benefits of NERC CIP Incident Response and Recovery Audit Checklist

Ensures compliance with NERC CIP incident response and recovery requirements

Improves organizational readiness to handle cybersecurity incidents effectively

Helps identify and address gaps in incident response and recovery processes

Reduces the potential impact of cybersecurity incidents on critical infrastructure

Facilitates consistent and well-coordinated incident management across the organization