In cybersecurity, the ability to measure and improve incident response efforts is critical for mitigating damage and reducing costs. The following metrics are essential for assessing the effectiveness of your incident response strategy.
1. Mean Time to Inventory (MTTI)
Mean Time to Inventory measures how long it takes for a SOC (Security Operations Center) analyst to identify the owner or custodian of a compromised system.
- Why It Matters: Missing inventory data can significantly delay response times.
- How to Improve: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all systems and assets to streamline incident resolution.
2. Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
Mean Time to Detect reflects the average time taken to identify a security threat or incident.
- Calculation: Total detection time during a given period, divided by the number of incidents.
- Significance: A low MTTD indicates strong detection capabilities, but teams must also ensure “unknowns” (unmanaged devices or systems) are minimized.
3. Dwell Time
In incident response, dwell time measures the duration between a system’s initial compromise and the detection of the breach. This period represents the window during which an attacker can access sensitive data, systems, and applications, potentially inflicting significant damage.
Dwell time measures how long a threat actor remains undetected within your environment, from their initial breach to their removal.
- Why It Matters: Longer dwell times increase the risk of data theft, operational disruption, and financial loss.
- Improvement Strategies: Quick detection and decisive response actions are critical to reducing dwell time.
4. Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) refers to the average time required to address and resolve an issue after the initial alert is received. It measures the efficiency of the recovery process, while the difference between MTTR and Mean Time to Recovery (MTTRc) highlights the duration it takes for the alert to be generated and reported.
- Calculation: Total response time for incidents during a given period, divided by the number of incidents.
- Impact: A lower MTTR minimizes the duration of disruption and associated costs.
- Optimization Tip: Automating data gathering and maintaining accurate user and asset inventories can drastically reduce MTTR by enabling faster decision-making and remediation.
5. Cost of an Incident
Incident cost is a straightforward metric that calculates the time spent detecting and resolving an incident, then translates it into the combined salary costs of the staff involved.
- Why It’s Important: Understanding the financial impact of incidents provides insights into the efficiency of your response strategy.
- Exclusions: This metric typically doesn’t include costs from major incidents requiring third-party involvement.
Strengthening Your Incident Response
Focusing on these metrics ensures a more robust security posture and limits the impact of cyberattacks. To improve:
- Regularly review and benchmark metrics to identify trends and gaps.
- Automate repetitive tasks to free up SOC personnel for higher-priority activities.
- Invest in tools that enhance visibility, detection, and response capabilities.
It’s not just about improving metrics but ensuring they are accurate and comprehensive. By consistently refining your incident response processes, your organization can stay ahead of emerging threats and protect critical assets.
A focus on improving cybersecurity incident response metrics will drastically strengthen your company’s security posture. The sooner you can detect and resolve incidents, the less impact a successful attack will have. For improving organizational IR practices, teams should ensure that metrics are not just improving, but are truly accurate and comprehensive.
Check this article to learn more about best practices for preparing your organization for cybersecurity incidents.
Resources:
https://www.atlassian.com/incident-management/kpis/common-metrics
https://www.axonius.com/blog/5-cybersecurity-incident-response-metrics-that-matter
https://betterstack.com/community/guides/incident-management/mttr-and-other-incident-metrics/
