Mean Time to Remediate

 MTTR (Mean Time to Remediate)

Mean time to remediate (MTTR) is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures how long it takes to fix a failed component or security vulnerability:

Definition

MTTR is the average time it takes to resolve a security vulnerability after it's been discovered. It's calculated by dividing the total time from detection to remediation by the number of incidents.

Importance

MTTR is crucial because it helps reduce the time systems are exposed to risk, which can lead to follow-on attacks and additional incidents. It also helps minimize potential damage and enhance customer trust.

Calculation

MTTR can be calculated on a case-by-case basis or on a macro level. It only includes closed vulnerabilities and doesn't include false positives or open vulnerabilities.

Security tools

Security tools like JFrog x-ray, Aquasec, PrismaCloud, Blackduck, Coverity, Synk, Veracode, Fortify, and Checkmarx can help identify vulnerabilities and classify their risk exposure.

Mean Time to Respond

 MTTR (Mean Time to Respond)

Mean time to respond (MTTR) is the average time it takes to respond to a system failure or security incident after being alerted:

Definition

MTTR is the average time to respond to a system failure or security incident after being alerted. It's a critical metric for assessing an organization's incident response and recovery procedures.

Formula

To calculate MTTR, divide the response time (from alert to resolution) by the number of incidents.

Importance

A good understanding of IT security and a low MTTR is crucial for quickly identifying cyber threats and avoiding catastrophic consequences.

Related metrics

MTTR is similar to mean time to acknowledge (MTTA), but MTTR measures the time it takes to take specific responsive actions, while MTTA only measures the time it takes to recognize an alert.

Tips to reduce MTTR

Some tips to reduce MTTR include:

Integrating threat intelligence sources into security operations

Establishing clear communication channels

Fostering a culture of collaboration

Having strong cybersecurity measures in place

Mission Essential Functions / Critical Systems

CRITICAL SYSTEMS AND FUNCTIONS

MTD (Maximum Tolerable Downtime) is the longest period of a business outage without causing permanent business failure. Each organization will have its own MTD. 

RTO (Recovery Time Objective): This is the expected time to get a system back online and functional. If the RTO exceeds the MTD, plan to move to an alternate site.

RPO (Recovery Point Objective): This measures how much data the company will lose in a given time. If the RPO is 4 hours, the backup must run every 4 hours; if the RPO is 12 hours, a backup must run every 12 hours.

KPI (Key Performance Indicators): This measures the reliability of an asset such as a server.

1. MTTF (Mean Time to Failure): This is normally an estimate of a product's expected lifetime, estimated in thousands of hours.

2. MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): This is the rating of a component/device that predicts the time between failures. It can be listed in tens of thousands or thousands of hours. 

3. MTTR (Mean Time to Repair): This is the actual time it takes to get a system back online. People often confuse this with RTO, which is the expected time, not the actual time to repair. This can also be called "replace" or "recover".