Security Incident Response (SIRT)
Security Incident Response (SIRT) involves the systematic approach to managing and mitigating cybersecurity incidents, including detection, analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery. It focuses on minimizing damage, preserving evidence, and restoring normal operations after security breaches. This skill requires coordinating technical, legal, and communication efforts during high-pressure situations.
With the rapid adoption of AI systems across enterprises, companies face novel attack vectors targeting machine learning models, training data, and AI infrastructure. Organizations like Anthropic, Databricks, and Datadog need specialized incident response capabilities to protect their AI platforms from adversarial attacks, data poisoning, model theft, and AI-specific vulnerabilities that traditional security teams may not recognize. The growing regulatory landscape around AI safety and security makes robust incident response critical for compliance and customer trust.
🎓 Courses
SANS FOR508: Advanced Incident Response
The gold standard IR course — threat hunting, forensics, APT detection. GIAC certification.
IBM Cybersecurity Analyst
Professional certificate covering IR, threat intelligence, and security operations.
Incident Response with Splunk
IR using the most common SIEM — investigation, timeline analysis, threat hunting.
📖 Books
Security Operations Center: Building, Operating, and Maintaining your SOC
Joseph Muniz, Gary McIntyre, Nadhem AlFardan · 2023
This book provides a modern, practical guide to building and operating a SOC, which is the foundational team and process hub for managing security incidents and response.
Cybersecurity Incident Response: How to Contain, Eradicate, and Recover from Incidents
Eric C. Thompson · 2023
It offers a hands-on, tactical framework for executing the core phases of incident response—containment, eradication, and recovery—with real-world scenarios.
The Modern Security Operations Center: People, Processes, and Technology for Continuous Defense
Joseph Carson · 2024
This book focuses on integrating people, processes, and technology in a modern SOC, which is essential for effective and efficient security incident response.
🛠️ Tutorials & Guides
NIST Computer Security Incident Handling Guide
SP 800-61 — the framework every IR team follows. Preparation, detection, containment, recovery.
SANS Incident Handler's Handbook
Practical playbook — identification, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned.
TheHive Project
Open-source incident response platform — case management, observables, Cortex analyzers.
Velociraptor
Endpoint forensics and IR tool — hunt across thousands of endpoints, collect artifacts.
🏅 Certifications
GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
SANS/GIAC · $979 (exam) + training
The gold standard IR certification — detection, response, handling, and forensics. SANS-backed.
GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
SANS/GIAC · $979 (exam) + training
Advanced forensics — memory analysis, timeline analysis, APT hunting. For senior IR professionals.
Learning resources last updated: March 30, 2026