MTTR (Mean Time to Respond)

MTTR is one of the most important SOC performance metrics because it directly measures how quickly a team can limit the damage from an active threat. It encompasses detection, investigation, decision-making, and response execution. High MTTR means attackers have more time to move laterally, escalate privileges, or exfiltrate data. Reducing MTTR is a primary objective of SOC automation and AI-assisted investigation, and is directly tied to an organization's ability to prevent breaches from becoming catastrophic.