Final answer:
Common reporting intervals in incident response plans indicate the specific times at which updates are communicated during an incident, varying from hourly to weekly based on the event's severity and nature, and are designed to keep stakeholders informed.
Step-by-step explanation:
Common reporting intervals in incident response plans refer to the specific times at which status updates and reports are shared among stakeholders during an incident. These intervals ensure that all involved parties remain informed about the ongoing management and mitigation activities. The frequency of these reports can vary depending on the severity and nature of the incident. Typically, these intervals are predefined in the incident response plan and can be on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis, with more frequent reporting usually necessary in the initial stages of incident response.
For example, in the case of a high-severity incident such as a widespread cyberattack, an organization might set reporting intervals every hour to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances. As the incident becomes contained and eventually resolved, the intervals may be extended to daily status reports, reflecting a more stable situation that requires less immediate attention. These intervals help in capturing and relaying important data that answers who, what, when, where, why, and how questions regarding the incident.