The modern world is completely inclined towards technology and is nearly impossible to function without it in any major aspect of work. As everything is getting digitized, the security of information and data is of prime importance. That's where incident handlers have important tasks to perform.
Incident Handler is a very booming career option in today's world as every company requires data and information security. To become an incident handler, it is essential to have due knowledge about cyber security. A PG in cyber security can help in achieving greater insights.Â
Let us learn about incident handlers and their importance!
Who is an Incident Handler?
An incident handler is an individual that investigates and responds to computer security incidents. They are responsible for identifying and containing security threats, analysing systems for vulnerabilities and determining the extent of the security breach. Incident handlers may also be responsible for coordinating with stakeholders, preparing reports and documenting the incident.Â
These challenging situations are mostly handled by either an Incident Response Team (IRT) or an Incident Management Team (IMT) inside a structured organisation. Most multinational companies spend a lot of time and effort on building such incident-handling teams before an important event or during the occurrence of the same. Incident handling is important for retaining business operations and keeping intact the security of integral data and information.Â
Cybersecurity career is rising with each passing day and becoming an incident handler can be a very prosperous career option for anyone interested in the field.Â
Role of an Incident Handler
Throughout any cybersecurity incident, the incident handler has the overall control and authority to take necessary steps regarding that situation. They oversee and coordinate all aspects of an incident or a cybersecurity breach and are responsible for rectifying such situations.
Following are the roles and responsibilities of an incident handler in an organisation:
- Quick resolution of an incident: An incident could be anything starting from system failure, security breaches, system outrage and so on. It is the job of an incident handler to quickly solve critical problems of such nature. Quick resolution in cases of security breaches is very important so that the important data and information do not go into the wrong hands.
- Assessment of the situation: An incident handler is faced with a lot of challenging situations, which can be a security breach or system outage while walking in a big company. Before coming to a solution, an incident handler needs to properly assess the whole situation.Â
The quick resolution does not mean that solutions can be derived in a hurry. An incident handler needs to properly evaluate the critical situation so that they can come down to a proper conclusion.
- Determine the best course of action:Â When there is a critical situation at hand, there is a need to solve it with the best possible solution. An incident handler must evaluate the problem and land on the best course of action that should be taken in such a situation. Rectifying the problem is not enough. The task of damage control should also be performed effectively.
- Tracking decisions and making relevant changes: Strictly sticking to a particular decision or solution is not an ideal course of action. Constantly tracking a situation and taking the best course of action accordingly and changing decisions, if necessary should be practised by an incident handler. That is how a company can deal with critical situations in the best possible way.
- Communicating decisions and information: Without proper communication, everything can get haphazard and business operations can get hindered. Being capable of doing all the tasks alone is not enough for becoming a successful incident handler. Proper communication of decisions and relevant information is also an important aspect of the responsibility of an incident handler.Â
As a team manager, an incident handler has to inform the team members and other relevant employees about the present decisions of a situation in a company.Â
- Preparation in times of emergencies: One never knows when there will be a need to protect the important information and data of a company from the black hats. Panic typically occurs when security vulnerabilities arise. But with an efficient incident-handling team, an incident handler can remain composed under pressure. Such situations must be addressed rationally and effectively.
Conclusion
As technology is ever-increasing there will always be a demand for incident handlers in all companies. It is a very prosperous career option for the young generation. If someone is interested in stepping into this discipline, cyber security training and placement can help them learn the important aspects of incident handling.
Enrolling on the Postgraduate Program in Cybersecurity by Imarticus means looking forward to having a prosperous professional life as an incident handler. This program teaches all the prerequisites of incident handling that are necessary for stepping into this field of work.
