CIS Control 14.6: Security Incident Recognition and Reporting Training
Your workforce is your first line of defense against security incidents. CIS Control 14.6 ensures every team member can identify suspicious activity and knows exactly how to report it. Without proper incident reporting channels and training, breaches go undetected and damage compounds.
What this means
Control 14.6 requires organizations to establish a security awareness program that trains employees to recognize potential security incidents and report them through defined channels. This includes educating staff on what constitutes an incident, who to contact, and how to document and escalate concerns without fear of retaliation. The goal is to create a security-conscious culture where incidents are caught early and responded to quickly.
How to comply
- 1.Develop incident recognition criteria and share with all workforce members—define what employees should look for (phishing attempts, unusual account activity, unauthorized access, data exfiltration signs)
- 2.Create clear, accessible reporting channels (dedicated email, hotline, ticketing system) and ensure employees know how to use them
- 3.Conduct mandatory training for all staff on recognizing common incident types relevant to your industry and organization
- 4.Establish a non-retaliation policy to encourage reporting without fear of negative consequences
- 5.Document all incident reports and track reporting metrics to measure program effectiveness
- 6.Review and update training annually, incorporating new threat types and lessons learned from past incidents
- 7.Test your incident reporting process regularly through tabletop exercises or simulated incidents
Evidence auditors look for
- Security awareness training curriculum with incident recognition modules and completion records
- Incident reporting policy document with defined escalation procedures and contact information
- Employee acknowledgment forms confirming receipt and understanding of incident reporting procedures
- Incident reporting logs showing submitted reports, dates, and resolution outcomes
- Training attendance records and assessment scores for security incident recognition
- Non-retaliation policy documentation posted in employee handbook or intranet
- Audit trail of reports submitted through established channels over the past 12 months
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
GRCWatch automates incident report collection, tracks employee training completion, and maintains a searchable audit log of all reports—eliminating manual tracking and ensuring your team can prove incident awareness training and response readiness to auditors.
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