RE: What defines an "incident"?

["David Gillett" <gillettdavid () fhda edu>]

  I'd highlight the "customary or consistent with normal usage"
portion of the event definition.  While it may not yet warrant
a full CIRT/CERT/CSIRT invocation, the investigation process needs
to start at the point where it's (only?) a surprise, and not wait 
until determination of its "adverse" nature has been established.

David Gillett
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Gucinski [mailto:Jgucinski () midwestbank com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 12:20 PM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: Re: What defines an "incident"?
>
> This is purely from my current organization's 
> standpoint...every place i've worked has had a slightly 
> different take on it.  
>
> An event is "any observable occurrence in a system or network 
> that is viewed as customary or consistent with normal usage".  
>
> An adverse event (I personally dislike that term) is defintes 
> as "events with negative consequences such as system 
> stoppages, network traffic floods, unauthorized use of system 
> privileges, unauthorized access to information, unauthorized 
> use of information, the introduction of malicious code, or 
> any combination of these."
>
> We'd further investigate an adverse event before labeling it 
> an "incident" and convening the CIRT.  We call an incident 
> "An actual or imminent threat of violation of the information 
> security or acceptable use policies"
>
> I find that having too many synonyms (i.e., scenario, 
> situation, event,
> incident) brings too much complexity to what is often a 
> stressful situation. 
>
> -Jon
>
> > > > Bob Radvanovsky <rsradvan () unixworks net> 2/11/2006 10:20 am >>>
> This debate, of course, is all in good fun and purely meant 
> as a "learning experience".  I'm sure that other who read 
> this will (no
> doubt) agree with me.
>
> As such, what qualifies between something defined as an 
> "event", versus an "occurence", versus an "incident", versus 
> a "situation"?
>
> Defined, an "event" is:
>
> "In probability theory, an event is a set of outcomes (a 
> subset of the sample space) to which a probability is 
> assigned.  Typically, any subset of the sample space is an 
> event (i.e. all elements of the power set of the sample space 
> are events), but when defining a probability space it is 
> possible to exclude certain subsets of the sample space from 
> being events."
>
> URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_(probability_theory)
>
> > From what I've found the definition of "occurence" signifies 
> a state or
> period in time that an event occurred.  Beyond that, nothing 
> else seems to describe that definition.
>
> Defined, an "incident" is:
>
> "Any event which is not part of the standard operation of a 
> service and which causes, or may cause, an interruption to, 
> or a reduction in, the quality of that service."
>
> URL:
> http://www.dream-catchers-inc.com/White%20Papers/glossary_of_t
> erms-AM.htm
>
>
> Subsequently, "incident" is subset to "incidental" as defined as:
>
> "((sometimes followed by `to') minor or casual or subordinate 
> in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or
> consequence) "incidental expenses"; "the road will bring 
> other incidental advantages"; "extra duties incidental to the 
> job"; "labor problems incidental to a rapid expansion"; 
> "confusion incidental to a quick change"."
>
> URL: http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=incident 
>
> Consequently, people have interchangably used the word 
> "situation" in lieu of "incident" or "event"; thus, the 
> definition of "situation" is:
>
> "A position or condition with regard to circumstances, the 
> combination of circumstances at any given time, a difficult 
> or critical state of affairs; any significant combination of 
> circumstances developing in the course of an event. The 
> objective conditions immediately affecting an individual."
>
> URL: http://method.vtheatre.net/dict.html 
>
> NOTE: Mind you, this refers to actors in a play, and the 
> course of events that lead to a climax within the plot; 
> however, it can imply a course or series of events which may 
> be applied to real-life scenarios, thus implicating an "act" 
> (if you will).
>
> In legal terms, the choice of a word can depend upon the 
> severity (and its significance) of the event.  Having 
> recently been chewed out by a superior officer last year 
> about the incorrect use of the word "incident", law 
> enforcement would prefer -- at least in public -- using 
> alternative words such as "occurence" or "event" to describe 
> whatever transpired.  An "incident", "situation" or 
> "scenario" signifies importance towards an event that has 
> transpired, and thus, if the culprit responsible for the 
> event is watching television or listening to the radio, is 
> being empowered by an officiant making claim to their 
> "incident".  Additionally, identifying the course of 
> circumstances which transpired to as an "event" or "events" 
> unempowers the state of the condition following the 
> circumstances leading to or from the event. 
> Essentially, you've taken whomever's "wind out of their sails".
>
> And, from a liability perspective, the choice of the words 
> "event" or "occurence" provides little significance towards 
> any acts committed as being a purposeful "attack" or act of 
> violence.  If you were a stockholder to a larger company, and 
> someone had maliciously attacked a server with a barrage of 
> attack methods, your first role is "containment", attempting 
> to "contain" the event.  This means calming down stockholders 
> who may be upset about the attack.  Secondly, if the attack 
> was successful, and you have determined it as such, if there 
> was loss of property, financial information, or life, then 
> changing to another word with greater significance will 
> greater bearing esp. if/when the individual or group of 
> individuals is apprehended.  If nothing has been determined, 
> the attack attempt remains just that, an attempt, or "event".
>
> Be careful in your choice of words, as they have significance 
> and pose more bearing and meaning psychologically to most 
> people.  If you misuse a word inappropriately, you can 
> sometimes cause panic or states of confusion (or dismay) when 
> there are no reasons for such conditions. 
> Thus, choose your words *carefully*.
>
> Until an "attack attempt" has been: (1) proven as an 
> "attack", (2) was successful, and (3) have an idea as to who 
> is responsible for the attack attempt -- the current state 
> leading from the course of circumstances would remain as an 
> "event" -- nothing more.
>
> I've included the previous comments from a "virus attack" in 
> reference to his definition of an "incident".  Comments 
> anyone (yeah, I know...I've got to be INSANE to ask, but I am...)
>
> -rad
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Craig Wright [mailto:cwright () bdosyd com au]
> To: dave kleiman [mailto:dave () davekleiman com]
> Cc: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: RE: Forensic/Cyber Crime Investigator
>
>
> > Definately friendly. Please do not see anything in any other manner.
> >  
> > I am firstly enjoying the debate and secondly debate is the 
> heart of 
> > knowledge. Even if neither party comes to an agreement on terms at
> least a
> > good debate on the subject should give each party a better
> understanding of
> > their own perspective and a more logical manner of comprehension.
> >  
> > More on the other responses later this morning...
> >  
> > Regards
> > Craig
> >
> >     -----Original Message----- 
> >     From: dave kleiman [mailto:dave () davekleiman com] 
> >     Sent: Fri 10/02/2006 3:44 AM 
> >     To: security-basics () securityfocus com 
> >     Cc: 
> >     Subject: RE: Forensic/Cyber Crime Investigator
> >     Craig,
> >     
> >     I hope you are taking this as a friendly discussion
> >     
> >     Answers inline..
> >     
> >          -----Original Message-----
> >          From: Craig Wright
> >        
> >         
> >          Virus attacks etc as you put are incidents. The average
> >          (and all but maybe a rare exception) organisation will
> >          treat these as incidents. They do not take them to court
> >          nor have the intention of doing such. To take your Virus
> >          example. This is an incident, it requires a response. It
> >          does not require a forensic analysis of the system, nor
> >          would this be generally done..... etc
> >     
> >      
> >
> >
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Tailor your education to your own professional goals with degree 
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Computer Emergency Response Teams, and Digital Investigations. 

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