Which step in incident handling comes after identification?

In the incident handling process, the step that follows identification is containment. After an incident has been identified, it is crucial to contain the incident to prevent further damage or data loss. Containment involves implementing measures to limit the extent and impact of the incident, ensuring that malicious activities do not spread within the network or system any further.

Effective containment may involve isolating affected systems, blocking malicious traffic, or disabling compromised accounts. This step is critical for maintaining the integrity and availability of other systems while developing a plan for eradication and recovery later in the incident response process.

Following containment, the organization can then move forward with eradication, which focuses on removing the root cause of the incident, and recovery, which involves restoring and validating system functionality and ensuring that operations can return to normal. The preparation stage occurs before any incidents are identified and is about establishing guidelines, policies, and tools to effectively handle incidents when they arise.