What is the main goal of the Detection and Analysis phase in incident response?

The main goal of the Detection and Analysis phase is to confirm whether a security incident has occurred and to understand its characteristics. This involves analyzing data from various sources (e.g., logs, alerts) to identify indicators of compromise, determine the incident's scope, and assess its potential impact. Accurate analysis in this phase is critical for choosing the appropriate containment and eradication strategies in the subsequent phases. It moves an organization from a state of suspicion to one of informed action.

B: Shutting down systems is a containment action, which follows the analysis phase.

C: Restoring systems before investigation would destroy evidence and is part of the recovery phase.

D: Preventing future incidents is the primary goal of the Post-Incident Activity (lessons learned) phase.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2012). Special Publication 800-61 Rev. 2: Computer Security Incident Handling Guide. Section 2.3.2, "Detection and Analysis", page 13.

2. Palo Alto Networks. (2023). The Cortex XDR Detection and Response Guide. Chapter 3, "Investigating Alerts", details processes that align directly with the goals of the NIST Detection and Analysis phase.