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Integrating Argument-Driven Inquiry into the Incident Response Lifecycle

The incident response cycle is a framework that is widely used in the field of cybersecurity to guide organizations through the process of detecting, investigating, and responding to security incidents. The incident response cycle consists of several stages, which include preparation, detection and analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities.

The steps of argument-driven inquiry (ADI), on the other hand, are a structured approach to problem-solving that can be used to analyze data and draw evidence-based conclusions. The steps of ADI include identifying a problem, developing a question, developing a hypothesis, collecting data, analyzing the data, refining the hypothesis, and drawing conclusions.


While the incident response cycle and the steps of ADI are different frameworks, there is a clear relationship between them. In fact, the steps of ADI can be used to guide incident response teams through the various stages of the incident response cycle.

Preparation Stage

For example, during the preparation stage of the incident response cycle, organizations can use the steps of ADI to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities. By identifying potential problems and developing specific questions and hypotheses, incident response teams can be better prepared to respond to security incidents when they occur.

Detection & Analysis Stage

During the detection and analysis stage of the incident response cycle, incident response teams can use the steps of ADI to collect and analyze data related to the incident. By developing hypotheses and collecting data from a variety of sources, incident response teams can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the nature and scope of the security incident.

Containment, Eradication, & Recovery Stage

During the containment, eradication, and recovery stages of the incident response cycle, incident response teams can use the steps of ADI to refine their hypotheses and develop evidence-based conclusions about the root cause of the incident. By drawing conclusions based on rigorous data analysis, incident response teams can develop more effective strategies to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Post-Incident Activities Stage

In the post-incident activities stage of the incident response cycle, incident response teams can use the steps of ADI to evaluate the effectiveness of their response and identify areas for improvement. By using the steps of ADI to draw evidence-based conclusions about the incident response process, incident response teams can continuously improve their response strategies and better protect their organizations from security threats.

While the incident response cycle and the steps of ADI are distinct frameworks, they are complementary and can be used together to guide incident response teams through the process of detecting, investigating, and responding to security incidents. By using the steps of ADI to collect and analyze data, develop hypotheses, and draw evidence-based conclusions, incident response teams can more effectively respond to security incidents and protect their organizations from future threats.

Integrating argument-driven inquiry into the incident response lifecycle can provide several benefits to security teams, including:

  • Improved decision-making: By using a structured and evidence-based approach to problem-solving, the ADI process can help incident response teams make more informed decisions about how to respond to security incidents.
  • Increased efficiency: The ADI process can help incident response teams to identify and address security incidents more efficiently and effectively, which can help to reduce the impact and severity of incidents.
  • Better use of data: The ADI process requires incident response teams to collect and analyze data from a variety of sources, which can help teams to better understand the nature and scope of security incidents.
  • Enhanced collaboration: By involving multiple stakeholders in the ADI process, including technical and non-technical personnel, incident response teams can encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing to better address security incidents.
  • Improved communication: The ADI process provides a common language and framework for discussing security incidents, which can help incident response teams to communicate more clearly and effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Overall, integrating argument-driven inquiry into the incident response lifecycle can help organizations to better understand and address security incidents, and to make more informed decisions about incident response strategies and tactics. This can ultimately help organizations to better protect their assets and information from security threats.

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Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA

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