Security incident response is the process of identifying, containing, analyzing, and resolving security incidents that may compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization’s information assets. Security incidents can range from unauthorized access, data breaches, malware infections, denial-of-service attacks, to insider threats, among others.

For app developers, security incident response is essential to swiftly identify and address threats, reduce harm to customers and their reputation, meet compliance requirements, and enhance security practices and resilience.

Security incident response is not a one-time event, but a continuous cycle that involves planning, preparation, and improvement. App developers need to have a clear and documented security incident response plan that defines the roles and responsibilities, procedures, communication channels, escalation paths, and reporting requirements for handling security incidents.

A security incident response team, that is trained and equipped with the necessary tools and skills to execute the plan effectively, is essential. Moreover, app developers need to periodically test and review their security incident response plan and team, and incorporate the feedback and lessons learned from each incident to enhance their security capabilities and readiness.

Microsoft 365 Certification verifies security incident response best practices

Microsoft 365 Certification validates app developers’ compliance with enterprise ready security, privacy, compliance, and transparency standards. For security incident response controls, app developers/ISVs must demonstrate to auditors that they have a formal and documented incident response plan, and that they follow the plan, and report security incidents in a timely and appropriate manner. Response teams should be clearly identified with contact information in case of a compromising event.

Developers submit screenshots or documents verifying their security incident response plan to obtain certification. The plan should include roles, procedures, communication channels, escalation paths, and reporting requirements. Auditors will confirm that all plans and teams undergo regular quality control reviews and adhere to the latest regulations and standards.

The incident log or dashboard should list the date, time, description, severity, status, and resolution of each incident. Incident reports must detail actions taken, root cause analysis, impact assessment, and improvement recommendations. This evidence demonstrates a commitment to protecting customer data and trust.

Next steps

To learn more on how Microsoft 365 Certification validates security incident response plans are in place for your application, review the certification evidence requirements.

To start certification, go to the Microsoft Partner Center dashboard, select an app from Marketplace offers overview, and select App Compliance.