Whether an infection is the result of a disgruntled employee, hardware vulnerability, software-based threat, social engineering penetration, robotic attack or human error, all organizations must be prepared to immediately respond effectively to such an issue if the corresponding damage is to be minimized.

Because even the best protected networks become infected, all organizations must have a baseline plan for addressing such emergencies, and all baseline plans should include a succinct checklist that even a blurry-eyed technician woken at three in the morning on a holiday can deploy effectively with minimal thought.

Because every organization’s network, hardware and software mix, security systems, software and Windows implementations are all different and unique in numerous and subtle ways, no single pre-formatted checklist will prove perfect for every environment.

Using a pre-formatted malware response checklist, such as TechRepublic Premium’s .xlsx file, however, can save organizations considerable time and effort implementing a single, one-page guide for bringing security and sanity to initial infection response efforts. No firm should be without some semblance of a plan.