What is the primary purpose of an incident response team (IRT)?

The primary purpose of an incident response team (IRT) is to coordinate and manage the organization's response to a security incident. This involves a structured approach to identifying, investigating, and addressing security breaches or threats effectively and efficiently. The IRT is typically composed of professionals trained in specific areas of security, including network security, forensics, and risk management, enabling them to respond quickly to minimize damage, protect sensitive data, and restore normal operations.

The role of the IRT also includes developing and testing incident response plans, ensuring that all team members are familiar with their responsibilities during an incident, and constantly improving the response process through lessons learned from prior incidents. This focused response capability ensures that the organization can swiftly act to mitigate risks associated with security incidents, safeguarding the integrity of its information assets.