In incident response, which groups are typically involved?

• A. Security only
• B. IT and Security
• C. All departments
• D. Legal and Compliance

Answer: (C)

Incidents impact more than just the technical systems, reaching legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational areas of an organization. The best approach to incident response is cross-functional teamwork that brings together multiple disciplines. IT and Security handle the technical aspects—detecting, containing, and investigating the breach or outage. Legal and Compliance weigh in on regulatory requirements, contractual obligations, and risk governance, ensuring the right notifications and documentation are in place. Public Relations or Communications manages external messaging to customers, partners, and the public, protecting trust and brand. Other stakeholders, such as HR, Finance, and management, may also participate depending on the incident’s scope and impact. This coordinated effort across all departments enables a faster, more compliant, and more effective response.

Choosing only one area, like Security, misses regulatory and communication needs; focusing on IT and Security excludes the essential legal and public-facing elements; and limiting to Legal and Compliance omits the technical containment and evidence handling. All departments involvement reflects the real-world breadth of incident response.