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Procedure for Responding to a Compromised Computer

• Purpose
• Applies To
• Definitions
• Procedure
• Additional Information
• Revision History

Purpose

The purpose of this Procedure is to provide step-by-step instructions for responding to an actual or suspected compromise of Carnegie Mellon's computing resources.

Applies To

This Procedure applies to anyone using Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë's computing resources that suspects that the security or privacy of these resources has been compromised.  This Procedure also applies to situations where there has been no compromise but someone suspects their computing resources are actively being attacked.  This Procedure does not apply to computing resources owned by students.

Definitions

All terms and definitions in this document can be located in the Information Security Office Glossary. 

Regulatory Requirements

Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë is required by various state and federal regulations to investigate any incident that may involve the breach of personally identifiable information.  Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë is also required to notify an individual if the privacy of their personally identifiable information has been breached.  Failure to preserve evidence or conduct an investigation related to a compromised computer could result in unnecessary financial costs for the institution.  It is also important that the details of a compromise and the ensuing investigation remain confidential.  All communications related to a compromise should be coordinated with the Information Security Office and the Office of General Counsel.  Any contact with law enforcement should be immediately referred to or authorized by the Office of General Counsel. 

Procedure

The following steps should be taken to respond to an actual or suspected compromised computer:

1. Does the computer have CrowdStrike Installed?

If the computer has CrowdStrike installed (Review instructions at /computing/services/security/secure/install/index.html#verify) you may skip Step 2 – Disconnect the computer from the network   You still need to make sure not to run commands on the computer (see below).

2. Disconnect the computer from the network 

Disconnecting the computer from the local network prevents a potentially untrusted source from taking further actions on the compromised computer.  This also prevents any further leakage of Non-public information if that is a potential concern.  Shutting down the computer would also have this effect but could destroy evidence that is essential to investigating the compromise.  Similarly, rebuilding the computer would destroy all evidence pertinent to an investigation. 

It is important that NO further commands or actions be taken on the related Information System. Doing so may destroy relevant forensic data and impede ISO investigations.

 Do not: 

• Scan the system with antivirus software
• Attempt to clean off any malicious software
• Attempt to clear the mail system
• Attempt to retract an email message that contained confidential information
• Run a backup

1. Contact the Information Security Office
   As soon as an individual suspects that a computer has been compromised, they should contact the Information Security Office immediately by phone prior to taking any additional action.  The Information Security Office can be contacted at 412-268-2044 or by email at iso-ir@andrew.cmu.edu.  In the event that the Information Security Office is unavailable to take your call, emergency contact information will be provided in the pre-recorded answering system.
   
   The Information Security Office will conduct a preliminary investigation prior to determining the best course of action for the Compromised Computer.  While waiting for further instructions, do not share any details related to the compromise unless absolutely necessary.  Additionally, do not attempt to contact law enforcement officials.  Such communication must be coordinated with the Information Security Office and the Office of General Counsel due to the potential legal implications of a compromised computer.
2. Notify users of the computer, if any, of a temporary service interruption

If the compromised computer provides some type of service, it is likely that users of this service will be impacted by the interruption brought on by disconnecting the computer from the network. These users should be notified in some manner of the interruption. Options for notification may include an email to the user base or posting a notice to a frequently visited web site. As stated previously, the details of a compromise and the ensuing investigation should be kept confidential. Therefore, the notification of service interruption should not indicate that there has been a compromise.

Revision History