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Security Operations · Intermediate

NIST SP 800-61

The NIST publication providing guidance on computer security incident handling and response.

Definition

Revision 2 (2012) defined the lifecycle of Preparation; Detection and Analysis; Containment, Eradication and Recovery; and Post-Incident Activity. Revision 3, published in April 2025, reorganizes guidance around the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 functions (Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover). Many exams still test the Rev. 2 four-phase lifecycle.

Example

Using SP 800-61 to build an IR plan and post-incident review process.

Exam tip

Rev. 2 has four phases, combining containment, eradication and recovery into one phase.

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