Which of the following best describes the use of Wireshark in incident response?

Wireshark is best described as a network traffic analysis tool because it captures and analyzes packets of data that travel across a network. This capability makes it invaluable in incident response scenarios, as it allows analysts to visualize, examine, and interpret real-time traffic, helping them identify and troubleshoot issues during a security incident. By examining network packets, an incident handler can detect malicious activity, such as unauthorized access or data exfiltration, providing insights that are crucial for evaluating and responding to potential security threats.

The other options do not align with the primary functions of Wireshark. It is not a database management tool, as it does not manage databases but rather analyzes data in transit. Wireshark also does not encrypt files; encryption requires different software solutions specifically designed to secure data integrity and confidentiality. Lastly, while Wireshark may help identify suspicious traffic that could relate to phishing, it does not serve as dedicated phishing detection software, which typically focuses on identifying deceptive communications rather than analyzing network traffic.