Execute the recovery plan once the incident response process initiates recovery
When incident response reaches the point where containment is achieved and recovery can begin, the documented recovery plan must be activated immediately. Without a pre-defined recovery plan, teams improvise under pressure, which leads to inconsistent results, longer downtime, and the risk of restoring compromised assets. Executing a formal recovery plan ensures the right people, tools, and sequences are used to bring systems back safely. This control is the bridge between incident response and full restoration of business operations.
Implementation steps
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Confirm recovery handoff from incident response
Verify that the incident response team has formally handed off to the recovery team, or that the recovery phase has been declared within the incident ticket. Confirm that containment actions are complete before restoration begins, so you are not restoring into an active threat environment.
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Activate the documented recovery plan and assign recovery roles
Pull up the relevant recovery runbook for the affected system or service. Assign a recovery lead and confirm role assignments from the RACI matrix. Notify all recovery team members via the designated incident channel and confirm availability.
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Begin the recovery timeline log and establish status cadence
Open a recovery-phase log within the incident ticket to capture all actions, decisions, and timestamps from this point forward. Set a recurring status check interval so that stakeholders and the recovery team stay aligned throughout the process.
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Evidence required
Recovery plan activation record
A timestamped record showing when the recovery plan was activated, which runbook was used, and who was assigned as recovery lead.
- · Incident ticket with recovery phase start timestamp and runbook link
- · Slack or Teams message declaring the recovery phase open
- · ServiceNow change record created to track recovery tasks
Recovery team role assignments
Documentation showing that recovery roles were formally assigned and team members were notified.
- · RACI matrix with names filled in for the specific incident
- · Incident ticket with assignees listed per recovery task
- · Meeting notes or chat log confirming role acknowledgment
Containment confirmation before recovery start
Evidence that the incident response team confirmed containment was complete before recovery actions began.
- · Incident ticket status showing transition from Contained to Recovery
- · Sign-off message from incident commander in the war-room channel
- · Threat intelligence or EDR alert showing no active indicators of compromise
Related controls
The integrity of restored assets is verified, the asset is deemed secure, and normal operating status is confirmed
Incident Recovery Plan Execution
Select, scope, prioritize, and perform recovery actions
Incident Recovery Plan Execution
Re-establish critical mission functions and cybersecurity services
Incident Recovery Plan Execution
The end of incident recovery is declared based on criteria, and incident-related documentation is completed
Incident Recovery Plan Execution