The recovery process is the controlled sequence of actions used to restore systems, applications, and business functions after a security incident. It usually follows containment and includes verifying what was affected, rebuilding or repairing systems, restoring clean backups, resetting credentials, and checking that normal operations are safe to resume.
In cyber security, recovery matters because restarting too quickly can reintroduce malware, corrupted data, or attacker access. A good recovery process is planned in advance and tested regularly, with clear roles, backups, segmentation, and decision points for when to bring services back online. In real incidents, defenders use this process to reduce downtime while avoiding a second compromise, while attackers often try to interfere with it by deleting backups, encrypting files, or persisting in the network. A disciplined recovery process helps organizations return to service safely, not just quickly.