policy-and-compliance-documents
Incident Communications Plan Template
Use our free Incident Communications Plan template to coordinate internal and external messaging during security incidents. Customize roles, approval steps, and communication channels—then download and print instantly.
INCIDENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN TEMPLATE FAQ
What is an incident communications plan?
An incident communications plan is an internal document that defines how your organization communicates during a security incident. It sets who can speak externally, what channels to use, how often to send updates, and how messages are approved so teams avoid confusion, leaks, and inconsistent statements.
When should you use an incident communications plan?
Use it when an incident is suspected or confirmed and the response involves multiple teams (security, IT, legal, leadership, support, PR). It’s especially useful when customer impact is possible, systems are down, or the incident may trigger contractual or regulatory notices.
Who owns communications during an incident?
Typically a communications lead (PR/comms) owns messaging and cadence, while legal/privacy approves external statements, and the incident commander ensures updates reflect the latest operational facts. This template lets you assign each role clearly.
What should be included in the plan?
It should include communication goals, audiences (internal teams, customers, regulators, partners), approved channels, update cadence, approval workflow, spokesperson rules, message templates, and a single source of truth for incident facts.
How do you avoid misinformation during an incident?
Use a single source of truth (incident summary), restrict who can post externally, label facts vs. assumptions, and require approvals before sending customer-facing or public messages. Also keep detailed timestamps so you can correct statements quickly if facts change.
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