Emergency Exception Handling: What to Do During a Breach or Incident
During a security breach, normal processes often give way to urgent decisions. Systems may need to be taken offline, controls bypassed, or temporary access granted. These are emergency exceptions, and SMEs need clear processes to handle them without adding more chaos.
The Role of Emergency Exceptions
Emergency exceptions allow organizations to act quickly without ignoring accountability. Examples include:
- Temporarily disabling multi-factor authentication for rapid recovery.
- Granting administrator access to external incident responders.
- Bypassing patch-testing to deploy emergency fixes.
Risks of Poor Handling
If emergency exceptions are undocumented, SMEs face:
- Inability to reconstruct events during forensic investigations.
- Non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Long-term risks if temporary exceptions are never reversed.
Best Practices for SMEs
1. Predefine Emergency Processes
Establish who can approve emergency exceptions and how they are logged.
2. Time Limits
Emergency exceptions should expire quickly, often within 24–72 hours.
3. Post-Incident Reviews
After resolution, review each exception to confirm closure and assess if permanent changes are needed.
4. Communication Protocols
Ensure leadership, IT, and compliance teams are informed when exceptions are triggered.
Balancing Speed and Control
In a crisis, speed matters, but control cannot be abandoned. By preparing for emergency exceptions in advance, SMEs maintain both agility and accountability during incidents.