The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has unveiled an updated version of the National Cyber Incident Response Plan (NCIRP), a strategic framework for coordinating how federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments, private sector entities, and international partners address significant cyber incidents under Presidential Policy Directive 41 (PPD-41).
This move is a direct response to the increasingly sophisticated cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure and government systems nationwide.
The NCIRP update aligns with the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy, which called for a revision of the 2016 version to reflect the current cyber threat landscape, legal developments, and advancements in organizational capabilities.
The revised plan introduces new mechanisms to enhance collaboration across government entities and the private sector, empowering stakeholders to detect, respond to, and recover from significant cyber attacks.
Key Features of the Updated NCIRP
The NCIRP emphasizes flexibility and national unity of effort, recognizing that each cyber incident is unique. While the plan does not provide step-by-step instructions, it offers a clear framework for coordination and partnership during a cyber incident.
The document outlines participants’ potential roles, decision-making processes, and key response activities across the incident lifecycle.
CISA encourages the private sector, SLTT governments, and civil society organizations to review the updated NCIRP and integrate its principles into their own cybersecurity planning and operations.
The plan is structured around four key “lines of effort” (LOEs), each managed by designated lead agencies:
- Asset Response: Led by CISA, this effort focuses on assisting affected entities to protect and restore their cyber assets.
- Threat Response: Spearheaded by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this LOE targets the identification and mitigation of cyber threat actors.
- Intelligence Support: Managed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), this line facilitates the sharing of intelligence to enhance situational awareness.
- Affected Entity Response: In cases involving federal departments or agencies, each affected entity coordinates its response in partnership with CISA or specialized organizations such as U.S. Cyber Command.
The NCIRP also integrates insights from other federal frameworks, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Response Framework, to address incidents with broader consequences beyond cyberspace, such as disruptions to critical physical infrastructure or risks to public health.
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Enhanced Coordination Structures
To address the growing complexity of cyber incidents, the NCIRP defines two key coordination structures:
- Cyber Response Group (CRG): This Executive Office of the President-led group oversees policy development and strategic guidance for significant cyber incidents.
- Cyber Unified Coordination Group (Cyber UCG): The Cyber UCG serves as the primary national operational coordination mechanism, aligning efforts across the four LOEs during major incidents.
These structures are activated based on the severity and impact of an incident, as determined by the Cyber Incident Severity Schema, which assesses incidents on a five-level scale. Significant incidents (Level 3 and above) require full implementation of the NCIRP’s coordinating mechanisms.
Phases of Cyber Incident Response
The NCIRP divides cyber incident response into two primary phases:
- Detection Phase: This phase focuses on identifying, validating, and assessing a potential cyber incident’s severity. Key activities include collaborative risk assessments, information sharing with affected entities, and determining whether a coordinated federal response is needed.
- Response Phase: Once an incident is confirmed, response efforts aim to contain, eradicate, and recover from the attack. This phase also includes law enforcement investigations to attribute the incident and hold perpetrators accountable.
Following a major cyber incident, the NCIRP emphasizes the importance of capturing and implementing lessons learned to improve future response efforts.
Reviews led by the CRG and other entities, such as the Cyber Safety Review Board established under Executive Order 14028, will evaluate the effectiveness of the response and recommend improvements.
The update comes amid heightened concerns about foreign cyber threats. During a congressional hearing earlier this year, CISA Director Jen Easterly warned of advanced persistent threats from nation-state actors, including Chinese groups like “Volt Typhoon,” which have reportedly infiltrated U.S. critical infrastructure. The revised NCIRP aims to bolster the nation’s ability to detect and respond to such attacks swiftly.
CISA is urging organizations across sectors to integrate the NCIRP into their cybersecurity planning and operations.
This includes adopting best practices for incident reporting, developing relationships with key agencies and sector-specific risk management entities, and participating in collaborative initiatives such as the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC).
As cyber threats continue to evolve, CISA has committed to regularly updating the NCIRP to ensure it remains a practical and effective tool for coordinating national responses to cyber incidents.
The agency also plans to develop additional resources, such as sector-specific annexes and contingency plans, to further enhance preparedness.