Which term is used to describe the practice of monitoring systems for signs of security breaches?

The practice of monitoring systems for signs of security breaches is aptly referred to as incident detection. This involves actively looking for and identifying potential security incidents or breaches as they occur, in order to respond promptly and mitigate damage. Incident detection focuses on the continuous surveillance of system activities, logs, and alerts to spot anomalies that may indicate unauthorized access or other malicious activities.

While related concepts like vulnerability assessment, system auditing, and network security analysis play critical roles in an organization’s overall security posture, they each serve different purposes. Vulnerability assessment aims to identify and quantify vulnerabilities within systems before they can be exploited. System auditing typically involves reviewing the configurations and policies governing a system to ensure compliance and integrity. Network security analysis generally focuses on the examination of network traffic and devices to identify potential threats and weaknesses in the network infrastructure.

In contrast, incident detection is specifically tailored to recognizing and responding to breaches, making it vital for ensuring real-time protection and prompt incident management.