Operational Timeline
180-Day Cyber Transition Framework
An operational timeline for cybersecurity stabilization during Iran's democratic transition — structured in six phases from immediate crisis response to institutional foundation.
Phase 01 — Days 0–3
Immediate Stabilization
Prevent cascading failures across critical digital infrastructure during the initial hours and days of transition.
Establish chain of command for cyber decisions under transitional authority
Maintain uninterrupted public services to demonstrate governmental continuity
- Telecom continuity — ensure uninterrupted communication services for the population and emergency responders.
- Privileged access containment — identify and secure administrative credentials across critical government systems.
- Interim coordination cell — establish a small operational team to triage cyber incidents in real time.
- Sectoral triage — prioritize sectors by criticality and exposure to determine immediate intervention targets.
Phase 02 — Days 1–10
Rapid Visibility
Gain situational awareness across critical networks and begin identifying active threats.
Define reporting lines between cyber responders and transitional leadership
Demonstrate transparent incident communication to build public confidence
- Passive monitoring — deploy non-intrusive network visibility tools across priority infrastructure.
- Insider-risk reduction — implement basic access controls and logging on sensitive systems.
- Emergency playbooks — establish initial incident response procedures for the most likely attack scenarios.
Phase 03 — Days 11–40
Structured Response
Stand up operational response capabilities and begin systematic risk assessment.
Formalize the national CERT/CSIRT mandate with clear legal authority and escalation protocols
Publish initial security posture assessments to establish institutional credibility
- CERT/CSIRT — establish a national-level Computer Emergency Response Team with defined escalation paths.
- Criticality classification — categorize infrastructure assets by national importance and vulnerability.
- Secure remote access — deploy protected communication channels for coordination across government entities.
Phase 04 — Days 41–100
Interim Governance
Create transitional governance structures for cybersecurity decision-making and democratic accountability.
Establish civilian oversight mechanisms and parliamentary reporting requirements for cyber operations
Integrate civil society observers into cybersecurity governance to ensure democratic legitimacy
- Cyber authority model — define the institutional structure for national cybersecurity leadership.
- Democratic oversight — integrate civil society and parliamentary oversight into cyber governance.
- Minimum baselines — establish mandatory security standards for critical infrastructure operators.
Phase 05 — Days 101–130
Resilience Building
Strengthen defenses across operational technology and build international partnerships.
Formalize international cooperation agreements and mutual assistance frameworks
Demonstrate alignment with international cybersecurity norms to attract partner confidence
- OT/SCADA segmentation — isolate industrial control systems from enterprise networks.
- Threat info exchange — establish threat intelligence sharing with regional and international partners.
- International support — formalize cooperation frameworks with allied nations and cybersecurity organizations.
Phase 06 — Days 131–180
Institutional Foundations
Lay the groundwork for permanent national cybersecurity institutions and long-term resilience.
Draft foundational cybersecurity legislation and institutional charters for permanent governance structures
Deliver a public transition report documenting achievements, gaps, and the roadmap for permanent institutions
- National governance — draft legislation and institutional charters for a permanent cyber authority.
- AI resilience — establish frameworks for AI security governance and automated defense capabilities.
- Supply chain security — implement vetting and monitoring processes for critical technology supply chains.