Maturity Models for Response Teams (SIM3)
Assessing the team's maturity with SIM3
SIM3 (Security Incident Management Maturity Model) is the most widely used reference model for objectively assessing how mature a CSIRT is, and it's the one FIRST uses to accredit teams. It assesses maturity in four dimensions: organizational (mandate, authority, budget), human (roles, training, knowledge management), tools (available technical infrastructure) and processes (documentation and repeatability of procedures). Each parameter is scored on a scale from 0 to 4, from "doesn't exist" to "documented, audited and actively improved". Applying SIM3 periodically makes it possible to compare the team against itself over time, prioritize investment where the gaps really are, and present leadership with an objective assessment instead of a subjective perception of how well the CSIRT works.