What is an essential function of incident response planning in context to Defender PAM?

An essential function of incident response planning within the context of Defender PAM is to prepare for potential security breaches involving privileged accounts. This preparation is crucial because privileged accounts typically have elevated access rights that can lead to significant risks if compromised. By focusing on incident response planning, organizations can develop a structured approach that includes identifying, managing, and mitigating incidents involving these critical accounts. This encompasses the creation of response strategies that address various scenarios of breaches, allowing organizations to act swiftly and effectively to minimize damage and restore trust in their systems.

The other options, while relevant to overall security practices, do not specifically address the core purpose of incident response planning. Creating new user accounts regularly, managing software updates, and designing new policies for system access do not directly contribute to the immediate response and recovery processes essential in the event of a security incident concerning privileged account access. Therefore, the emphasis on preparing for security breaches effectively captures the essence of what incident response planning aims to achieve in the context of Defender PAM.