How can you verify that the documented incident response plan was followed for actual incidents?

• A. Interview personnel and review documentation from a sample of previously reported incidents
• B. Rely only on automated logs
• C. Only examine the most recent incident
• D. Review the plan without incident testing

Answer: (A)

Verifying that the documented incident response plan was followed relies on evidence from real events. Interviewing personnel involved in incidents and reviewing the documentation from a sample of previously reported incidents provides direct insight into whether the plan’s steps were activated, who owned each action, and how timelines, communications, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident reviews were executed. Sampling multiple incidents helps ensure the plan works consistently across different scenarios and isn’t just applicable to a single event. Relying solely on automated logs can miss the human decisions and contextual details that show why actions were taken. Looking at only the most recent incident doesn’t demonstrate ongoing adherence, and reviewing the plan without testing doesn’t prove that it actually guides practice. This approach gives practical evidence that the plan is effective in real incidents and ready for use in future events.