During a security breach, who should be informed first?

In the event of a security breach, informing the security personnel responsible for incident response is crucial because they are specifically trained to handle such incidents. Their immediate involvement ensures that appropriate containment measures are quickly enacted to prevent further unauthorized access or data loss. They can also begin an investigation to ascertain the cause of the breach and implement remediation strategies.

This choice emphasizes the importance of adhering to established incident response protocols. Security personnel not only manage the technical aspects of addressing the breach but also coordinate with other departments, including IT and legal, to ensure that the organization's response is effective and complies with regulatory requirements.

The other options, while relevant in the context of a breach, may not address the urgency and priority of an immediate response. The affected employee would need to be informed eventually but should not be the first contact due to potential panic and confusion. Briefing the executive team is important but typically follows the immediate response actions initiated by the security team. Lastly, engaging with the media for transparency should come later in the process, once key details have been established and the organization can communicate effectively about the incident without jeopardizing ongoing investigations.