Which of the following activities is the first stage in the incident response process?

Detection is the first stage in the incident response process. It involves identifying that a security incident has occurred or is occurring. This can be through automated alerts, user reports, or security audits. Without detection, no further incident response actions can be taken. Declaration (or reporting/communication) happens after an incident is detected and assessed. Containment is a later stage focused on limiting the damage and preventing further spread. Verification is part of the analysis or post-incident review, confirming the incident's scope or the effectiveness of controls.