What is incident response?

Incident response refers to a structured approach specifically designed to manage a security incident effectively. This process involves preparation, detection, analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery from incidents such as data breaches, malware infections, or any security threats that compromise the integrity of information systems.

Choosing this answer reflects an understanding of the critical importance of having a formal incident response plan in place. Such a plan enables organizations to respond promptly and efficiently to incidents, minimizing damage and helping to protect sensitive data. This process also facilitates learning from incidents, leading to better security practices and policy updates in the future.

The other options are either unrelated to incident response or focus on areas that do not involve direct management of security incidents. Enhancing system performance, improving user access, and routine software updates address different aspects of IT management and security but do not encompass the comprehensive strategy that incident response provides when facing cybersecurity challenges.