Security Incident Response Time Estimator
Estimates the total end-to-end incident response time (in hours) based on incident severity, team size, detection method, containment complexity, and organizational readiness factors.
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Formulas Used
Phase Time (each phase P):
T_detection = BaseDetection[severity] × DetectionMultiplier T_analysis = (BaseAnalysis[severity] × TeamFactor × SystemsFactor + ForensicsHours×0.5) × PlaybookMultiplier T_containment = BaseContainment[severity] × TeamFactor × SystemsFactor × ContainmentMultiplier × PlaybookMultiplier T_eradication = (BaseEradication[severity] × TeamFactor × SystemsFactor × ContainmentMultiplier + ForensicsHours×0.5) × PlaybookMultiplier T_recovery = BaseRecovery[severity] × TeamFactor × SystemsFactor × ContainmentMultiplier × PlaybookMultiplier T_postincident = (BasePostIncident[severity] + RegulatoryHours) × PlaybookMultiplier TeamFactor = (1 / √TeamSize) × ((6 − ExperienceLevel) / 3) SystemsFactor = 1 + 0.15 × log₂(AffectedSystems) TotalTime = T_detection + T_analysis + T_containment + T_eradication + T_recovery + T_postincident MTTD = T_detection MTTR = TotalTime − T_detection CostExposure = TotalTime × CostPerHour[severity]
Base Times (hours) by Severity:
| Phase | P1 Critical | P2 High | P3 Medium | P4 Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detection | 0.5h | 1.0h | 2.0h | 4.0h |
| Analysis | 2h | 4h | 6h | 8h |
| Containment | 3h | 5h | 8h | 12h |
| Eradication | 4h | 6h | 10h | 16h |
| Recovery | 8h | 12h | 20h | 32h |
| Post-Incident | 4h | 4h | 6h | 8h |
Assumptions & References
- NIST SP 800-61r2 (Computer Security Incident Handling Guide) defines the six-phase IR lifecycle used as the structural basis for phase decomposition.
- IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023: Average breach costs $4.45M; average MTTD = 204 days, MTTR = 73 days for undetected breaches. This calculator focuses on active response time once an incident is confirmed.
- SANS Incident Response Survey 2022: Organizations with documented playbooks resolve incidents 35–40% faster; reflected in playbook multipliers (0.80–1.20).
- Team efficiency follows a square-root scaling law (Brook's Law analog): doubling team size does not halve response time due to coordination overhead.
- Systems factor uses log₂ scaling: each doubling of affected systems adds ~15% overhead, reflecting network segmentation and parallel investigation complexity.
- Detection multipliers: Automated SIEM/EDR alerts (1.0×) are fastest; external notifications (3.5×) reflect delayed awareness per Verizon DBIR 2023 data.
- Forensics overhead: Based on SANS FOR508 course estimates; digital forensics for critical incidents typically adds 16–24 hours of analyst time.
- Regulatory overhead: GDPR Article 33 requires 72-hour breach notification; HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires 60-day reporting. Estimated 4–12h of additional coordination and documentation burden.
- Cost per hour: Derived from IBM 2023 breach cost data divided by average active response hours per severity tier.
- All estimates represent median scenarios. Actual times may vary significantly based on threat actor sophistication, tooling maturity, and organizational size.