Home / Services / Incident Response Retainer
INCIDENT RESPONSE & RESILIENCE
Incident Response Retainer
Agree the response before the pressure arrives.
CyberXpert’s incident response retainers give your organisation an agreed route to support before an incident occurs. Packages offer different levels of preparation, support and response arrangements, with scope and pricing matched to your requirements.
Discuss retainer optionsWHO THIS HELPS
Choose an appropriate package based on your environment, internal capability and incident-readiness priorities. The proposal explains included services, the activation process and any additional charges.
THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE
During an incident, uncertainty about authority, access and commercial terms can slow decisions. A retainer addresses those questions in advance, while recognising the limits of the contracted service.
Your chosen package sets out the preparation and support included, any incident-response allowance, and the coverage and response arrangements that apply. Additional readiness work, exercises or investigation support can be included where agreed.
A DEFINED ENGAGEMENT
01
Named contacts, escalation routes and authority to engage support.
02
A review of core systems, evidence sources and secure communication needs.
03
Clear activation contacts, engagement terms and response arrangements, with incident support available 24/7.
04
Optional readiness reviews and exercises, explicitly included where agreed.
Onboarding establishes your key contacts, relevant systems, evidence sources, access requirements and safe communication routes. We agree who can activate support, authorise action and coordinate decisions across your organisation and its providers.
Test the activation procedure and update it after business, supplier or personnel changes. Readiness work can reduce avoidable friction when support is needed.
The level of preparation, support and response arrangements, together with your environment and requirements, shapes scope and pricing. Specific inclusions and commercial commitments are recorded in your proposal and agreement.
Does a retainer guarantee a fixed response time?
Incident support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A response-time target, reserved capacity and other retainer commitments are defined in your agreement.
Is the retainer the same as cyber insurance?
No. A retainer is a support arrangement. Insurance coverage and approved-provider requirements need to be checked with your insurer.
What should a retainer’s activation procedure define?
It should explain who can activate support, the agreed contact route, information needed and any service boundaries. Coverage and response arrangements must be explicit in the contract; they should not be inferred from the word retainer.
What preparation helps make the retainer usable?
Current system information, decision-maker contacts and an agreed incident escalation process help avoid confusion. The scope can include readiness work, but inventories, access details and communication routes need named owners to keep them current.
When should we review our retained arrangements?
Review them after significant changes to systems, suppliers, ownership or key personnel, and according to the agreed service review cycle. Activation exercises can identify outdated assumptions before the process is needed during an incident.
LET’S DEFINE THE RIGHT SCOPE
Tell us about your business, systems and existing response arrangements. We will recommend a suitable retainer and explain what it includes before you commit.
For an active incident, call +44 (0)20 4591 7000 or submit an incident enquiry. Incident support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Consultation bookings are for non-urgent discussions.
Digital forensics and incident response scope →
Incident Readiness and Tabletop Exercises →
Managed Detection and Response →