Which combination of data sources should an incident response analyst primarily consider to trace the origin and pathway of a network breach?

The most effective combination of data sources to trace the origin and pathway of a network breach includes intrusion detection system alerts, antivirus reports, and employee access logs.

Intrusion detection system alerts are crucial for identifying potential unauthorized access or anomalous behavior within the network. These alerts can provide immediate insights into the actions being taken by attackers, showing patterns that could indicate the pathway of the breach.

Antivirus reports are essential for understanding whether malware has been present on the systems. They can help detect specific threats and give context on how these threats may have originated and spread within the network.

Employee access logs are significant in establishing which users accessed which resources and when. By analyzing these logs, investigators can pinpoint potentially compromised accounts or unauthorized access that might have facilitated the breach.

This combination of data sources provides a comprehensive view necessary for accurately tracing incidents. While the other choices might provide valuable information, they do not combine the proactive detection capabilities of intrusion detection systems, the threat assessments from antivirus logs, and the accountability from employee access tracking as effectively as this option does.