What kind of process must exist to keep the incident response plan current?

• A. Do not update the plan after initial creation
• B. Update only after major incidents
• C. Develop a process to modify and evolve the plan according to lessons learned and industry developments
• D. Update every five years

Answer: (C)

Maintaining an incident response plan requires a formal, ongoing process to modify and evolve the plan as lessons are learned and as industry developments occur. The threats, technologies, business environments, and regulatory expectations are not static, so the plan must be regularly updated to stay effective. After-action reviews from drills and real incidents should feed into concrete updates to playbooks, runbooks, contact lists, escalation paths, and communication protocols. New threat intelligence, changes in systems or vendors, and shifts in organizational structure all demand timely revisions to ensure responders know exactly what to do and who to contact under current conditions. This ongoing governance approach helps reduce response time, preserve evidence, protect sensitive data, and demonstrate due diligence in line with PCI DSS expectations.

Choosing to update only after major incidents or to update infrequently leaves gaps that attackers could exploit and can render the plan out of date as tools, personnel, and technologies change. A living plan, with clear ownership, versioning, and regular testing, keeps the organization prepared and aligned with evolving risk and regulatory guidance.