What aspect of incident response should be analyzed to determine if an incident is legitimate?

The aspect of incident response that should be analyzed to determine if an incident is legitimate is the analysis phase. During this phase, security analysts evaluate the data and indicators collected during the detection phase to understand the nature and context of the incident. This involves correlating information, examining logs, and using various analytical techniques to discern between false positives and actual threats.

The analysis phase is crucial because it allows teams to differentiate between legitimate security incidents and non-threatening anomalies. Without thorough analysis, incidents may either be misidentified as threats, resulting in unnecessary alarm and resource allocation, or genuine threats may go unrecognized, causing potential harm to the organization.

While detection methods, reporting protocols, and communication strategies are important components of incident response, they do not directly address the legitimacy of the incident itself. Detection methods identify potential threats, reporting protocols ensure that incidents are communicated properly, and communication strategies facilitate effective coordination among incident response teams. However, it is the analysis that provides the clarity needed to assess whether an incident warrants further action.