Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs): An Overview

Abstract

Following the pioneering work at Carnegie-Mellon University in the US, national Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) have been established worldwide to try to address the ever-growing threats to information systems and their use. The problem they are designed to address is clearly real and formidable, in mitigating the threats posed by cyber-criminals and state-sponsored cyber-attacks. This paper is presenting the role and purpose of Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) the services they provide, and also various examples of existing national and multinational CSIRTs as well as organizations which foster the cooperation and coordination of CSIRTs are presented. The paper then presents case studies as examples of national CSIRTs.