Forms and templates
ICS forms exist so that anyone joining the incident can read its state in minutes. These are the ones a cyber incident uses most, cut down to plain text so they paste into a ticket, a chat room or a document. FEMA publishes the full set in its ICS forms booklet. The after-action report and improvement plan is on Learn.
| Form | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ICS 201 | Incident briefing | The first plan, and the briefing for any transfer of command |
| ICS 202 | Incident objectives | The objectives and command emphasis for one period |
| ICS 203 | Organization assignment list | Who holds which position this period |
| ICS 204 | Assignment list | One per group or division: the work, the people, the instructions |
| ICS 205 | Communications plan | Channels, owners and verification, out of band |
| ICS 209 | Incident status summary | The executive update, and the source for every message |
| ICS 213 | General message | Written requests and decisions |
| ICS 214 | Activity log | Everyone in a role keeps one |
| None | Transfer of command | The handover record |
| ICS 221 | Demobilization check-out | Release of one person |
ICS 201. Incident briefing
INCIDENT BRIEFING (after ICS 201) Incident name: Incident number: Prepared by: Date, time, timezone: Incident commander: 1. Situation What happened, what is affected, what is known, what is not. 2. Current objectives 1. 2. 3. 3. Actions taken so far Time Action By 4. Current organization IC: Operations: Planning: Public Information: Liaison: Legal advisor: 5. Resources assigned and ordered Resource Assigned to Status 6. Safety and wellbeing Hours worked, physical process risks, personal safety concerns. 7. Next briefing:
ICS 202. Incident objectives
INCIDENT OBJECTIVES (after ICS 202) Incident name: Operational period: from to Objectives, each with an outcome, a measure and a time: 1. 2. 3. Command emphasis (priorities, constraints, risk tolerance): Decisions made by command this period: Safety and wellbeing message: Attached: organization list, assignment lists, communications plan, situation summary Approved by (IC or each unified command member): Time:
ICS 203. Organization assignment list
ORGANIZATION ASSIGNMENT LIST (after ICS 203) Operational period: Command Incident commander: Deputy: Public Information Officer: Safety Officer: Liaison Officer: Legal advisor: Operations Section Chief: Group, supervisor, members: Planning Section Chief: Situation unit: Resources unit: Documentation unit: Logistics Section Chief: Finance/Admin Section Chief: Intelligence/Investigations (if separate): Unified command members (if used):
ICS 204. Assignment list
ASSIGNMENT LIST (after ICS 204) Operational period: Group or division: Supervisor: Members: Work assignment, and the objective each task serves: Special instructions (change windows, systems not to touch, evidence handling): Status to Planning at: via: Channels: primary backup Prepared by (Planning): Approved by (Operations):
ICS 205. Communications plan
COMMUNICATIONS PLAN (after ICS 205) Treat corporate email, chat and identity as compromised until scoping shows otherwise. Purpose Primary Backup Owner Command bridge Operations Executive updates Legal, privileged Outside parties Roster kept at (offline): How members verify each other: Status cadence:
ICS 209. Incident status summary
INCIDENT STATUS SUMMARY (after ICS 209) As of (date, time, timezone): Incident name and number: Type: Incident commander: What is affected: How bad it is (impact now, and whether it is growing): What people should do now: When it will be mitigated and resolved, if known: Scope: systems affected confirmed suspected Containment status: Objectives this period, and progress on each: Outside parties engaged: Notifications made, and due: Decisions needed from leadership: Next update:
ICS 213. General message
GENERAL MESSAGE (after ICS 213) To: Position: From: Position: Subject: Date, time, timezone: Message: Reply: Replied by: Date, time:
ICS 214. Activity log
ACTIVITY LOG (after ICS 214) Name: Position: Operational period: Time (with timezone) Activity, decision or observation
Transfer of command
TRANSFER OF COMMAND Outgoing IC: Incoming IC: Effective (date, time, timezone): Briefed from: ICS 201 / current IAP Covered: Situation and scope Objectives and progress Organization, and who is on shift Open decisions Commitments made to outside parties Safety and wellbeing Next meetings and updates Announced to: command staff / general staff / all responders / outside parties Logged by:
ICS 221. Demobilization check-out
DEMOBILIZATION CHECK-OUT (after ICS 221) Name: Position: Released at: Assignment handed to: Activity log to Documentation: yes / no Evidence and notes handed over, custody recorded: yes / no Temporary access revoked: yes / no Hardware and licences returned: yes / no Hours to Finance/Admin: yes / no Rest before next duty: Released by: