What is the main purpose of incident response in cybersecurity?

The main purpose of incident response in cybersecurity is to manage and recover from security incidents. This encompasses the processes and procedures that organizations implement when a security breach or cyberattack occurs. Effective incident response enables organizations to minimize damage, protect sensitive data, restore normal operations, and learn from the incident to enhance future security measures.

Having a structured incident response plan helps teams quickly assess the situation, contain the threat, eradicate the vulnerabilities, and recover any lost or compromised data. It also involves post-incident activities, such as analyzing the incident to improve defenses and reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.

In contrast, collecting data about network users, developing security training programs, and auditing security policies serve different purposes within the broader framework of cybersecurity. While they are essential to establish a robust security posture, they aren't primarily focused on managing and addressing incidents as they arise.