Certified: The Security+ Prepcast

Episode 171: Policies Supporting Incident and Change Management • Incident Response Policies o Structuring response activities to security incidents. o Real-world scenarios highlighting policy-driven response effectiveness. • Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Policies o Ensuring secure application development practices. o Practical examples demonstrating policy impact. • Change Management Policies o Securely managing changes to IT infrastructure. o Case studies demonstrating improved stability and security.
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Security is not only about defending against threats—it is also about responding quickly and effectively when those defenses are breached. In this episode, we will explore three important types of security policies that support effective response and responsible system management. These include incident response policies, software development lifecycle policies, and change management policies. Together, they provide structure for reacting to attacks, building secure systems, and managing infrastructure with stability and control.
Let’s begin with incident response policies. These documents serve as a blueprint for how an organization handles security events. Without a plan in place, even a minor incident can spiral out of control. Incident response policies define who is responsible for handling incidents, how incidents are detected and classified, and what steps must be followed to contain and recover from them. The goal is to act fast, minimize damage, and preserve evidence for investigation and compliance purposes.
A strong incident response policy includes a clear definition of what constitutes an incident. It explains how to escalate different types of threats, such as malware infections, denial of service attacks, unauthorized access, or insider misuse. The policy also lays out a structured process that includes preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident analysis. These steps must be understood and followed by both technical staff and decision-makers. Without a defined process, teams often duplicate efforts or miss critical actions, leading to delays and greater risk.
Consider a real-world example involving a retail company that experienced a ransomware attack. Because it had a well-defined incident response policy, the information technology team immediately followed the documented procedure. They disconnected infected systems from the network, notified leadership and legal teams, and began restoring data from backups. The policy also required contacting law enforcement and conducting a forensic review to determine the scope of the breach. As a result, the company contained the attack within hours and avoided paying the ransom. Their quick and effective response was driven by a policy that had been tested and refined over time.
Incident response policies are also essential for compliance. Many laws and industry standards require organizations to have a formalized response plan. Regulators and auditors often ask to see evidence that the plan exists, that employees are trained on it, and that it has been exercised through tabletop drills or real-world use. The policy is not just a document—it is a vital part of the organization’s security posture.
Next, we turn to software development lifecycle policies. These govern how applications are developed, tested, deployed, and maintained in a secure and structured way. The software development lifecycle, or SDLC, includes phases such as planning, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. A security-focused SDLC policy ensures that security is built into every stage of this process, rather than being added as an afterthought.
A well-crafted SDLC policy might require threat modeling during the design phase, secure coding practices during development, and vulnerability scanning before deployment. It could also mandate source code reviews, access control for development environments, and documentation for third-party libraries. By formalizing these requirements in policy, the organization reduces the likelihood of introducing security flaws into production systems.
Let’s look at a practical example. A healthcare software provider had previously released an application that was later found to contain multiple security vulnerabilities. After a costly remediation effort and regulatory fines, the company adopted a new SDLC policy. This policy required all code to pass both automated and manual security checks before it could be moved to the testing environment. It also mandated training for developers on secure coding standards and required sign-off from security analysts before each release. Within a year, the number of post-release security defects dropped by more than eighty percent. The policy had a measurable impact on both product quality and customer trust.
Another benefit of an SDLC policy is that it helps standardize development across teams. In large organizations, multiple development groups might work on different applications using various tools and practices. A consistent policy provides a shared framework that promotes collaboration and accountability. It also supports the adoption of tools that automate secure development practices, such as static analysis tools, dependency checkers, and automated test pipelines.
Finally, let’s explore change management policies. These are designed to control how changes are made to information technology systems and infrastructure. Change management is critical because even small changes can introduce unintended consequences. A misconfigured server, an untested patch, or a poorly timed deployment can lead to outages or new vulnerabilities. Change management policies help prevent these issues by introducing structure, oversight, and documentation.
A change management policy typically includes several key elements. These include the need for change requests to be formally submitted, reviewed, and approved. The policy outlines who must be involved in the review, how risks should be assessed, and whether testing is required before implementation. It also requires documentation of rollback plans in case something goes wrong. By enforcing these steps, the policy ensures that changes are not rushed or poorly coordinated.
Let’s consider a case study. A financial institution implemented a change management policy after experiencing repeated service disruptions due to unplanned updates. Under the new policy, all changes had to be approved by a change advisory board. This group included representatives from information technology, security, compliance, and operations. Each proposed change was assessed for impact, and major changes were scheduled during low-usage windows. As a result, the number of unplanned outages dropped significantly, and customer satisfaction improved. The organization also found that the policy helped uncover potential security issues earlier in the process, because changes were no longer made in isolation.
Change management policies are also important for audit and compliance. They provide a record of what was changed, when, and by whom. This information can be critical for investigating incidents or demonstrating compliance with regulations that require change control. Without a formal policy, it becomes difficult to prove that systems are being managed responsibly.
As you prepare for the Security Plus exam, keep in mind that each of these policies serves a unique purpose. Incident response policies are about rapid, coordinated action when something goes wrong. Software development lifecycle policies are about embedding security into the development process. And change management policies are about reducing risk and maintaining system stability as environments evolve. You will likely encounter questions that describe scenarios involving these types of policies and ask you to choose the best approach.
Here is a tip for this section of the exam. Pay attention to the phase in which the policy applies. If the question describes a breach in progress, think incident response. If the question describes a new application under development, think software development lifecycle. And if the question involves updating, configuring, or changing systems, the best answer is probably related to change management. Understanding the timing and scope of each policy will help you answer confidently.
If you need more help mastering these concepts and want access to study tools, podcasts, and exam resources, visit us at Bare Metal Cyber dot com. And if you are looking for the official Security Plus study guide filled with exam-focused explanations, diagrams, and practice questions, head over to Cyber Author dot me and grab your copy today.