Which assessment term refers to examining historical incidents to identify patterns in security

Trend analysis refers to the systematic examination of historical incidents to identify patterns in security over time. It involves collecting and evaluating data from past events, breaches, or security incidents to detect recurring themes or behaviors that can inform future security measures. By recognizing these patterns, organizations can strengthen their security posture, anticipate potential threats, and allocate resources more effectively.

This assessment term is particularly valuable in proactive security management, as it helps in formulating strategies to mitigate similar incidents based on historical data. For instance, analyzing trends can reveal a spike in certain types of attacks during specific periods, allowing security teams to implement additional safeguards accordingly.

In contrast, the other terms do not specifically focus on analyzing historical incidents for patterns. Incident response pertains to the immediate actions taken after a security breach. Risk assessment involves identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities within a system but does not necessarily analyze historical data. Vulnerability assessment is primarily concerned with identifying weaknesses in systems to remediate them, rather than recognizing trends from past incidents.