Importance of Real-Time Incident Response Strategies

Most people see the Super Bowl as just a game, but for those of us in command and control, it's a week-long security operation leading up to a high-stakes, no-fail event. Our first Super Bowl operation, XXXVII (2003) in San Diego, was where we saw firsthand how an Incident Management System (IMS) could change the game for multi-agency coordination. At the time, we deployed an IMS that brought together 300+ personnel from 20+ agencies, local, state, federal, and private sector, on a single platform. It enabled: Real-time information tracking – Every agency could see updates instantly instead of relying on outdated phone calls and paper logs, it is 2003 Resource & asset management – Critical response units, from law enforcement to fire and EMS, could be tracked and deployed with precision. GIS & plume modeling – For the first time at a Super Bowl, we could model potential chemical, biological, or hazardous incidents in real time, integrating it into our response planning. Interoperability – Multiple command centers across the city were seeing the same data, making decisions faster, and cutting through operational noise. This wasn’t theoretical, we were field-tested, from 9/11 to the Utah Olympics, wildfires, and major urban crises. The ability to model threats, manage resources dynamically, and eliminate information silos made all the difference, for over a decade of disasters. 20 Years Later—Where Should We Be? Fast forward two decades, and we’ve seen improvements in AI, automation, and real-time analytics, but are command centers truly leveraging these advancements, when most US IMS systems still dont cross communicate. The future isn’t just about incident tracking, it’s about Decision Intelligence. We need modeling-based planning, predictive analytics, and AI-driven decision support to anticipate threats before they escalate. Data alone isn’t enough; it has to be actionable, integrated, and continuously refined in real time.

NIST Updates Cyber Incident Response Guidance for First Time in Over Decade ⤵️ National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released Revision 3 of SP 800-61, its long-standing guidance on responding to #cyber incidents. Why should lawyers, insurers, and cybersecurity teams take note? Because this update reflects how today’s incidents are more likely to unfold—and how businesses, regulators, and the law increasingly expect them to be responded to. What’s new 🆕 : 📈 An enterprise-wide strategy: #Incidentresponse is now framed as a business-wide function—integrated into broader governance and #riskmanagement. 📚 Continuous learning over static steps: The traditional linear model of incident response steps has been replaced. The new approach emphasizes continuous learning and adaptation throughout the process, so organizations improve in real time—not just after the fact. 🌍 “Real-world” application: NIST includes a practical profile to help organizations of any size or industry implement the guidance in context. For legal teams: it may shift the standard of care in breach litigation and regulatory scrutiny. For insurers: it reframes what constitutes a “reasonable” response. For cybersecurity teams: it’s a more modern resilience playbook. Read the full document by clicking on the link in the comments:

Coffee Thoughts! Crisis doesn’t wait. Neither should your organization. A lean-forward crisis management approach isn’t only about reacting — it’s about anticipating. Effective crisis management starts with pre-incident intelligence and a trained duty officer or watch center function that monitors threats and risk in real time. When the right information is available early, an organization moves from surprise to strategy, rapidly. It’s not just about knowing what’s happening — it’s about establishing shared situational awareness across departments, stakeholders, and leadership. This creates a common operating picture that drives better, faster decision-making. At the heart of it all is an integrated emergency operations plan that isn’t collecting dust, but is part of a living process. A core crisis management team — lean, empowered, and cross-functional — trains and drills before an incident, so they perform with confidence confidently on game day. And when it comes to the outside world, crisis communications must be locked in — clear messaging, trusted spokespeople (PIOs), and a proactive public posture protect both reputation and trust. The lean-forward model turns uncertainty into action. It aligns people, processes, and purpose before a crisis or disruption occurs — not after. Because in crisis, speed, clarity, and coordination aren’t luxuries — they’re lifelines. #CrisisManagement #EmergencyManagement #BusinessContinuity #CrisisCommunications #SituationalAwareness #Resilience #Preparedness

🚨 Investing in robust incident response and near real-time recovery mechanisms is not just a smart strategic move; it's an absolute necessity for organizational resilience. After meeting with hundreds of organizations C-level leadership over the last 2 years or so, and leading over 120+ risk management and incident response tabletops, I can say with incredible clarity that this is a huge gap (Why I harp on this a lot) for nearly every organization out there, and they should be looking to improve their respond and recovery capability ASAP and ensure it aligns with the business. Right now they are just not prepared and are putting themselves and their organization at great risk! Cyber attacks can strike with devastating speed, potentially crippling operations, eroding customer trust, and incurring massive financial losses. Here's where the strategic foresight of CIOs and CISOs comes into play. By prioritizing incident response, they ensure that when an attack happens, a well-oiled response machine is ready to mitigate damage swiftly. This includes identifying threats, containing breaches, and eradicating vulnerabilities, which can significantly reduce the impact. Another game-changer is near real-time recovery. Traditional recovery methods often take too long, leaving businesses vulnerable for extended periods. Near real-time recovery means getting back to normalcy almost immediately after an incident, minimizing downtime and financial loss. The near real-time recovery time should align with the organization's tolerance for downtime. So, if they can only tolerate 4 hours of downtime, they invest in a near real-time recovery capability supporting that expectation. For CIOs and CISOs, investing in these areas is not just about responding to threats but about building a level of resilience supporting the organization's growth and strategic goals. It's about ensuring that when the inevitable happens, their organization not only survives but continues its business growth, turning potential disasters into mere bumps on the road to success. 🙌 #CyberResilience #Netsync #CIO #CISO #Resilience #CyberRecovery #BusinessContinuity #incidentresponse #incidentresponseplanning

If you’re a Chief Security Officer, you’ll be interested in what 300 of your peers had to say about the State of Emergency Response. Here are 5 key insights from this RapidSOS report: 1. 49% of teams report frequent delays in emergency SOPs due to late notifications Nearly half of respondents reported frequent delays in executing SOPs, with 63% citing late or incomplete notifications as the primary cause. 33% of the 300 security leaders we surveyed reported not being aware of the emergency until first responders arrived. These delays disrupt evacuations, heighten safety risks, and cause operational downtime. 2. 42% of organizations rely on manual incident notification methods Organizations are heavily investing in security; 53% allocate $1–5M annually, and 42% allocate $6–10M. Still, despite the availability of advanced technologies, 42% still rely on manual notification methods like employee-initiated GSOC alerts. This causes delays, miscommunication, and inefficiencies; 47% of respondents reported $1–5M in losses from delayed responses to high-severity emergencies. 3. Challenges with current emergency notification systems lead to a host of communication failures Emergency notification challenges remain a significant barrier to effective responses. These challenges result in critical gaps: - 20% of teams struggle to coordinate with first responders due to delays in awareness of onsite emergencies - 13% report limited coverage at rural or understaffed locations - 16% face difficulties prioritizing high-stakes incidents as overwhelming alert volumes delay responses 4. Real-time 911 call data improve onsite response and decision-making Security teams often struggle to align their onsite security with external agencies during emergencies. Enhanced 911 data visibility helps address these challenges by improving: - on-site staff effectiveness (16%) - reducing unnecessary deployments (16%) - enabling faster decision-making (14%) 5. 79% of corporate security leaders agree they could have done more to mitigate response delay Most respondents strongly agreed that improving communication workflows and reducing reliance on manual escalations could mitigate these delays. ----- At RapidSOS, our mission is to raise awareness of what we call The Safety Gap. The Safety Gap is the disconnect between how safety works today and how it could work with the technology and innovation around us. This report is a great illustration of this gap. Despite US companies spending ~$200B annually on safety technology… 42% of organizations rely on manual incident notifications, and 33% only learn about the incident upon the first responders' arrival. The good news? In talking to 100's security leaders, we’ve found that once there is Awareness of the Safety Gap, the desire to close the gap becomes a priority. The first step to raising awareness of the safety gap can be reading this report in full (link in the comments).