Incident Response Plan Template for Small Business
A step-by-step plan for detecting, containing and recovering from security incidents, with contact lists and checklists.
- Editable Word (.docx) + PDF
- Fill-in [BRACKETED] fields and guidance notes
- Approval page, staff acknowledgment and revision history
- Written for businesses with 5 to 100 employees
Why a small business needs an incident response plan
When ransomware or a hacked mailbox hits, a written plan with phone numbers on paper saves hours. Many insurers expect you to notify them quickly, and this plan puts that step up front.
What's inside this incident response plan template
Besides the standard purpose, scope, roles, exceptions, enforcement and review sections, this template covers:
- What Is an Incident?
- Incident Response Team
- External Contacts
- Severity Levels
- Response Phases
- Ransomware Quick Actions
- Business Email Compromise Quick Actions
- Appendix A: Incident Log
- Testing This Plan
Guidance notes explain the choices to make, for example which settings an insurer may ask about. Delete them before publishing. This template is not legal advice and does not certify compliance with any standard.
This policy is also included in the Starter Kit ($29) and the Complete Bundle ($79).
How it works
- Buy securely through Stripe checkout.
- Download instantly from your private download page.
- Open in Word or Google Docs and replace [COMPANY NAME] and the other fields.
- Follow the guidance notes, get approval and share with staff.
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