An incident response plan is best described as:

An incident response plan is best described as a documented procedure to manage incidents. This plan is critical for organizations as it outlines a structured approach to detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents. It ensures that all stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities during an incident, facilitating a coordinated response that minimizes damage and recovery time.

By being documented, the incident response plan serves as a reference that can be reviewed and updated regularly, incorporating lessons learned from past incidents, changes in technology, or shifts in the threat landscape. This formalized process empowers security teams to act quickly and effectively when incidents occur, ensuring that responses are consistent and using best practices designed to protect the organization's assets and data.

Having this well-defined procedure is vital for not only managing incidents effectively but also for ensuring compliance with regulations and standards that require organizations to have a robust cybersecurity strategy in place. This formal approach sets it apart from informal guidelines, training schedules, or compliance reports, which do not provide the comprehensive and actionable framework needed for effective incident management.