IR.L2-3.6.1[e]: Review Your Incident Response Plan to Ensure It’s Still Effective

Mapped to NIST 800-171 Requirement: 3.6.1
CMMC Assessment Objective: IR.L2-3.6.1[e]

What This Objective Means
This control focuses specifically on routine, proactive review of the IR plan.
It’s not about updating it after an incident or responding to a change—it’s about deliberate evaluation of the plan’s effectiveness, relevance, and accuracy on a regular schedule (e.g., annually).
This review should involve key stakeholders and result in documented findings or approvals—even if no changes are made.

Why It Matters
Without formal reviews:
• Outdated plans may go unnoticed
• Gaps in responsibilities or tools may persist
• Regulatory changes may be missed
• Teams may assume readiness that doesn’t exist
Reviewing the plan ensures that it reflects your actual systems, people, and risks.

How to Implement It
1. Schedule Annual Reviews
• Add review dates to your compliance or IT calendar
• Assign a responsible party (e.g., IR coordinator, CISO, compliance lead)
2. Involve the Right Stakeholders
• Include representatives from:
◦ Security
◦ IT/Infrastructure
◦ Compliance
◦ Legal or HR (if applicable)
◦ System owners or operational leads
3. Use a Checklist or Template
• Evaluate:
◦ Accuracy of contacts and roles
◦ Coverage of systems, tools, and data
◦ Completeness of response phases
◦ Alignment with NIST or CMMC requirements
4. Document the Review
• Include date, attendees, findings, and any action items
• If no changes are needed, record the “no change” decision
5. Align with Other Processes
• Coordinate reviews with policy updates, risk assessments, or audit cycles

Evidence the Assessor Will Look For
• IR plan with clearly marked review dates
• Meeting notes or review sign-offs
• Policies requiring annual review
• Documented version history and approvals
• Any updates resulting from reviews

Common Gaps
• Reviews occur informally or not at all
• No documentation of review activity
• Plan remains unchanged for years despite system or personnel turnover
• No designated owner or review schedule

How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports this requirement by:
• Embedding review schedules and reminders into IR planning workflows
• Providing review templates and checklists based on compliance requirements
• Logging review activity with timestamps and responsible parties
• Supporting version control and documentation of review outcomes
• Helping identify where real-world changes require plan reassessment
With Cuick Trac, your plan doesn’t just exist—it evolves with you.

Final CTA
A good plan isn’t just written—it’s reviewed.
Schedule a Cuick Trac demo to ensure your incident response process is evaluated, approved, and audit-ready.

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