How do detective controls respond when preventive controls fail?

Detective controls are designed to identify and alert administrators or security personnel about security breaches or incidents after they occur, especially when preventive controls—those that aim to stop breaches from happening—have failed. Therefore, actively recording intrusion attempts is a fundamental function of detective controls. This allows organizations to log and analyze incidents to understand how the breach occurred, what vulnerabilities were exploited, and what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Recording intrusion attempts is crucial for incident response, compliance reporting, and threat intelligence, as it provides evidence for further investigation and can help improve both preventive and detective measures going forward. This proactive logging and monitoring serve as a counterbalance to the failures of preventive controls, ensuring that security teams are informed and can take action to mitigate the impact of a breach.