Which metric is commonly used in security operations assessments for evaluating detection capabilities?

The metric commonly used in security operations assessments for evaluating detection capabilities is Mean Time to Detect (MTTD). This measurement specifically focuses on the time it takes from when an adverse event occurs until it is detected by the security system. MTTD highlights the effectiveness of detection mechanisms implemented within an organization. A shorter MTTD signifies that the security systems are efficiently identifying threats, which is critical for proactive security operations.

In contrast, Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) assesses how quickly an organization can respond to a detected incident, rather than the detection ability itself. Incident response time also pertains to the duration between identifying an incident and taking action, again not directly measuring the detection capabilities. The cost of incidents measures the financial impact of security breaches but does not offer insights into how quickly or effectively threats are detected. Thus, MTTD is the most relevant metric for evaluating detection capabilities within security operations assessments.