proxmox/docs/09-troubleshooting/SECURITY_INCIDENT_RESPONSE.md

Security Incident Response Procedures

Last Updated: 2025-01-20
Document Version: 1.0
Status: Active Documentation

---

Overview

This document outlines procedures for responding to security incidents, including detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities.

---

Incident Response Phases

Phase 1: Preparation

Pre-Incident Activities:

1. Incident Response Team:

   • Define roles and responsibilities
   • Establish communication channels
   • Create contact list

2. Tools and Resources:

   • Log collection and analysis tools
   • Forensic tools
   • Backup systems
   • Documentation

3. Procedures:

   • Incident classification
   • Escalation procedures
   • Communication templates

---

Phase 2: Detection and Analysis

Detection Methods

1. Automated Detection:

   • Intrusion detection systems (IDS)
   • Security information and event management (SIEM)
   • Log analysis
   • Anomaly detection

2. Manual Detection:

   • User reports
   • System administrator observations
   • Security audits

Incident Classification

Severity Levels:

• Critical: Active breach, data exfiltration, system compromise
• High: Unauthorized access, potential data exposure
• Medium: Suspicious activity, policy violations
• Low: Minor security events, false positives

Initial Analysis

Information Gathering:

1. What Happened:

   • Timeline of events
   • Affected systems
   • Indicators of compromise (IOCs)

2. Who/What:

   • Source of attack
   • Attack vector
   • Tools used

3. Impact Assessment:

   • Data accessed/modified
   • Systems compromised
   • Business impact

---

Phase 3: Containment

Short-Term Containment

Immediate Actions:

1. Isolate Affected Systems:

   # Disable network interface
   ip link set <interface> down
   
   # Block IP addresses
   iptables -A INPUT -s <attacker-ip> -j DROP
   

2. Preserve Evidence:

   • Take snapshots of affected systems
   • Copy logs
   • Document current state

3. Disable Compromised Accounts:

   # Disable user account
   usermod -L <username>
   
   # Revoke API tokens
   # Via Proxmox UI: Datacenter → Permissions → API Tokens
   

Long-Term Containment

System Hardening:

1. Update Security Controls:

   • Patch vulnerabilities
   • Update firewall rules
   • Enhance monitoring

2. Access Control:

   • Review user accounts
   • Rotate credentials
   • Implement MFA where possible

---

Phase 4: Eradication

Remove Threat

Actions:

1. Remove Malware:

   # Scan for malware
   clamscan -r /path/to/scan
   
   # Remove infected files
   # (after verification)
   

2. Close Attack Vectors:

   • Patch vulnerabilities
   • Fix misconfigurations
   • Update security policies

3. Clean Compromised Systems:

   • Rebuild from known-good backups
   • Verify system integrity
   • Reinstall if necessary

---

Phase 5: Recovery

System Restoration

Steps:

1. Restore from Backups:

   • Use pre-incident backups
   • Verify backup integrity
   • Restore systems

2. Verify System Integrity:

   • Check system logs
   • Verify configurations
   • Test functionality

3. Monitor Systems:

   • Enhanced monitoring
   • Watch for re-infection
   • Track system behavior

Service Restoration

Gradual Restoration:

1. Priority Systems First:

   • Critical services
   • Business-critical applications
   • User-facing services

2. Verification:

   • Test each service
   • Verify data integrity
   • Confirm functionality

---

Phase 6: Post-Incident Activity

Lessons Learned

Post-Incident Review:

1. Timeline Review:

   • Document complete timeline
   • Identify gaps in response
   • Note what worked well

2. Root Cause Analysis:

   • Identify root cause
   • Determine contributing factors
   • Document findings

3. Improvements:

   • Update procedures
   • Enhance security controls
   • Improve monitoring

Documentation

Incident Report:

1. Executive Summary:

   • Incident overview
   • Impact assessment
   • Response timeline

2. Technical Details:

   • Attack vector
   • IOCs
   • Remediation steps

3. Recommendations:

   • Security improvements
   • Process improvements
   • Training needs

---

Incident Response Contacts

Primary Contacts

• Security Team Lead: [Contact Information]
• Infrastructure Lead: [Contact Information]
• Management: [Contact Information]

Escalation

• Level 1: Security team (immediate)
• Level 2: Management (1 hour)
• Level 3: External security firm (4 hours)

---

Common Incident Scenarios

Unauthorized Access

Symptoms:

• Unknown logins
• Unusual account activity
• Failed login attempts

Response:

1. Disable compromised accounts
2. Review access logs
3. Change all passwords
4. Investigate source

Malware Infection

Symptoms:

• Unusual system behavior
• High CPU/memory usage
• Network anomalies

Response:

1. Isolate affected systems
2. Identify malware
3. Remove malware
4. Restore from backup if needed

Data Breach

Symptoms:

• Unauthorized data access
• Data exfiltration
• Database anomalies

Response:

1. Contain breach
2. Assess data exposure
3. Notify affected parties (if required)
4. Enhance security controls

---

Prevention

Security Best Practices

1. Regular Updates:

   • Keep systems patched
   • Update security tools
   • Review configurations

2. Monitoring:

   • Log analysis
   • Anomaly detection
   • Regular audits

3. Access Control:

   • Least privilege principle
   • MFA where possible
   • Regular access reviews

4. Backups:

   • Regular backups
   • Test restores
   • Offsite backups

---

Related Documentation

• DISASTER_RECOVERY.md - Disaster recovery procedures
• BACKUP_AND_RESTORE.md - Backup procedures
• TROUBLESHOOTING_FAQ.md - General troubleshooting

---

Last Updated: 2025-01-20
Review Cycle: Quarterly