What is the primary purpose of an incident response plan?

The primary purpose of an incident response plan is to define roles and procedures during a security incident. This plan serves as a critical framework for organizations to respond swiftly and effectively to security breaches or incidents. It outlines the specific steps that need to be taken, who is responsible for each task, and how to communicate internally and externally during such events.

Having clearly defined roles ensures that all team members understand their responsibilities, which promotes a coordinated response. It helps minimize the impact of the incident, allows for quicker recovery times, and can significantly reduce the potential damage to the organization. By articulating procedures, the organization can ensure that responses are systematic, consistent, and aligned with best practices, thus maintaining order in what can often be chaotic situations.

In contrast, other options focus on aspects that, while important, do not encapsulate the primary purpose of an incident response plan. Budget allocation and public relations are components that may be influenced by the incident response process but do not define the core function of the plan itself. Additionally, replacing affected hardware might be a consequence of an incident but is not part of the strategic response procedures outlined in an incident response plan.