Incident response retainers are becoming increasingly valuable for organizations that want help remediating complex breaches or avoiding them altogether. While Microsoft Incident Response Retainer is a popular choice, there are also many other providers worth considering.
Top 20 Incident Response retainers beside Microsoft
Incident response services are critical in today’s rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape. With persistent attacks from growing vectors, organizations must be prepared to respond to incidents and minimize the impact on their reputation and bottom line.
While Microsoft’s Incident Response Retainer offers an end-to-end portfolio of proactive and reactive services, there are many other providers to choose from.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 20 incident response retainers besides Microsoft, and why each of them can be a good fit for your organization’s specific needs.
#1. Accenture Security
Accenture Security is a division of Accenture, a global professional services company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. They offer a range of security services, including incident response retainers. Accenture has been involved in discovering and responding to a number of APT attacks, including the Anthem breach in 2015.
#2. Atos
Atos is a French multinational information technology services company headquartered in Bezons, France. Their incident response retainers provide pre-paid blocks of hours for specialized incident response and recovery services. Atos has helped organizations respond to a number of high-profile breaches, including the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017.
#3. BT Security
BT Security is a division of British Telecommunications plc, a multinational telecommunications company headquartered in London, UK. Their incident response retainers offer access to a team of experts who can help organizations respond to incidents quickly and effectively. BT Security has been involved in responding to a number of APT attacks, including the Turla group’s campaign against the UK Foreign Office in 2020.
#4. Carbon Black (VMware)
Carbon Black is a cybersecurity company headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. Their incident response retainers provide access to a team of experienced incident responders who can help organizations prepare for and respond to security incidents. Carbon Black has been involved in responding to a number of APT attacks, including the APT32 campaign against Vietnamese organizations in 2017.
#5. Check Point Software Technologies
Check Point Software Technologies is a cybersecurity company headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. Their incident response retainers provide proactive and reactive services to help organizations respond to and recover from security incidents. Check Point has been involved in discovering and responding to a number of APT attacks, including the Lazarus Group’s campaign against South Korean organizations in 2017.
#6. Cisco
Cisco is a multinational technology conglomerate headquartered in San Jose, California, USA. Their incident response retainers provide access to a global team of experts who can help organizations respond to security incidents. Cisco has been involved in responding to a number of APT attacks, including the hacking campaign against the US Democratic National Committee in 2016.
#7. Cognizant
Cognizant is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. Their incident response retainers provide access to a team of experts who can help organizations respond to security incidents quickly and effectively. Cognizant has been involved in responding to a number of high-profile breaches, including the Maze ransomware attack against Canon in 2020.
#8. CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. Their incident response retainers provide access to a team of experienced incident responders who can help organizations prepare for and respond to security incidents. CrowdStrike has been involved in discovering and responding to a number of APT attacks, including the Sunburst supply chain attack in 2020.
#9. Deloitte
Deloitte is a global consulting company headquartered in London, UK. It has over 330,000 employees and offers services such as auditing, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services.
Deloitte has been involved in several APT investigations, including the DarkHydrus group that targets the Middle East and was discovered by the company in 2018. Deloitte’s incident response team has also been involved in investigations of other notable breaches, including the US Office of Personnel Management breach in 2015.
#10. FireEye (now Trellix)
FireEye, now called Trellix, is a California-based cybersecurity company that offers a range of services including incident response, threat intelligence, and malware analysis. The company was acquired by Symphony Technology Group and merged with McAfee Enterprise in 2021.
FireEye has been involved in numerous high-profile APT investigations, including the discovery of the Chinese hacking group APT41, which was responsible for attacks against companies in the US, UK, Japan, and Singapore. The company also discovered the Russian hacking group APT29, which was responsible for the SolarWinds attack in 2020.
#11. Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It offers a range of services including cloud computing, cybersecurity, and IT management.
Fujitsu has been involved in several notable APT investigations, including the discovery of a new cyber espionage group, dubbed DarkHydrus, which targeted Middle Eastern countries. The company also discovered the Red October campaign, a large-scale cyber-espionage operation that targeted government, military, and scientific organizations worldwide.
#12. Group-IB
Group-IB is a Singapore-based cybersecurity company that offers services such as incident response, threat intelligence, and penetration testing. The company also offers a range of cybersecurity products, including fraud prevention, anti-piracy, and secure online banking solutions.
Group-IB has been involved in several high-profile APT investigations, including the discovery of the Cobalt hacking group, which targeted financial institutions in more than 40 countries.
The company also discovered the Silence hacking group, which targeted banks and financial institutions in Russia, the UK, and several other countries.
#13. IBM Security
IBM Security is a division of IBM that provides cybersecurity services, software, and hardware products. The company is headquartered in Armonk, New York and offers services such as threat intelligence, incident response, and managed security services.
IBM Security has been involved in numerous APT investigations, including the discovery of the Hacking Team data breach in 2015. The company has also been involved in investigations of other notable breaches, including the Equifax breach in 2017.
#14. Kroll
Kroll is a global risk management company that offers a range of services including cybersecurity, investigations, and due diligence. The company is headquartered in New York City and has offices in more than 20 countries.
Kroll has been involved in several high-profile APT investigations, including the discovery of the GhostNet campaign, which targeted governments and private organizations in more than 100 countries. The company also discovered the LuckyMouse hacking group, which targeted government organizations in Asia and the Middle East.
#15. McAfee (Trellix)
McAfee, which is now part of the broader XDR technology platform, has helped many organizations respond to advanced persistent threats (APT) and targeted attacks. The company offers a variety of incident response services, including pre-breach planning and breach response.
As a result of the company’s expertise in security and network technology, McAfee has discovered a number of high-profile APTs, such as Operation Aurora, which targeted Google and other corporations. With its global reach and focus on proactive threat intelligence, McAfee is a top alternative for organizations seeking reliable incident response services.
#16. NCC Group
NCC Group is an expert in the field of cybersecurity, with a focus on incident response and remediation. With a wide range of services designed to help organizations manage and mitigate cyber threats, NCC Group is a trusted partner for businesses looking for expert incident response services.
The company has a proven track record in responding to complex threats, including targeted attacks and ransomware. NCC Group also offers pre-breach services, including threat assessments and vulnerability assessments, to help organizations better prepare for potential cyber incidents.
#17. Secureworks
Secureworks, a subsidiary of Dell Technologies, provides a range of incident response services, including breach assessment, threat hunting, and recovery services. With a focus on proactive threat intelligence and detection, the company has helped organizations respond to a variety of advanced cyber threats.
Secureworks has a global reach, with a team of experts located around the world to respond quickly to incidents. The company has also discovered a number of high-profile APTs, including Iron Tiger and Cobalt Strike, and continues to be a top choice for organizations seeking reliable incident response services.
#18. Trustwave
Trustwave, a Singtel company, offers a variety of incident response services designed to help organizations manage and respond to cyber threats. The company has a global presence, with teams located around the world to respond quickly to incidents.
In addition to its incident response services, Trustwave offers a range of pre-breach services, including vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. With a focus on proactive threat intelligence and detection, Trustwave has helped many organizations mitigate and respond to cyber threats.
#19. Verizon
Verizon’s cybersecurity services, including its incident response capabilities, are built on a foundation of more than 20 years of experience in the field. The company offers a range of services designed to help organizations prepare for, manage, and respond to cyber incidents.
Verizon has a global reach, with a team of experts located around the world to respond quickly to incidents. The company has also discovered a number of high-profile APTs, including Operation Aurora and the 2013 Target breach, and continues to be a top choice for organizations seeking reliable incident response services.
#20. Wipro
Wipro is a global technology services provider that offers a range of cybersecurity services, including incident response, threat hunting, and recovery services. The company has a team of experts located around the world to respond quickly to incidents and help organizations mitigate and respond to cyber threats.
In addition to its incident response services, Wipro offers a range of pre-breach services, including vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. With a focus on proactive threat intelligence and detection, Wipro has helped many organizations manage and respond to cyber incidents.
Get in touch with these providers
Talk with incident response retainer providers
When it comes to choosing the right incident response retainer provider for your organization, it’s not just about the technical capabilities of each company. It’s also crucial to have a conversation with each provider to assess whether they are the right fit for your organization.
You might want to read about:
- Keeping Up with Constantly Evolving Threats
- Addressing the Shortage of Skilled Staff
- Managing Multiple Security Tools
- Ensuring Regulatory Compliance
- Identifying and Mitigating Insider Threats
Here are some factors to consider when speaking with each provider:
- Service offerings: It’s important to understand the scope of services offered by each provider and how they align with your organization’s specific needs.
- Culture match: Each provider has a unique company culture, and it’s essential to ensure that their approach aligns with your organization’s values and principles.
- Response time: During a cybersecurity incident, time is of the essence. You want to make sure that your provider can respond quickly and efficiently to minimize damage.
- Knowledge and expertise: Each provider has a different level of knowledge and expertise in different areas of incident response. It’s important to understand each provider’s strengths and weaknesses to ensure they can handle any potential threats.
- Customer service: It’s essential to have a positive working relationship with your provider, and customer service is a crucial factor to consider. You want to ensure that you receive timely and efficient support whenever you need it.
By having a conversation with each incident response retainer provider, you can gain a better understanding of their services, expertise, and company culture. This will allow you to make an informed decision and select the right provider to help protect your organization from cyber threats.
Teams and Expertise of Incident Response Retainer Providers
When choosing an incident response retainer provider, it’s important to know what types of teams they have and where they are located. This can help you determine if they have the right expertise to address your specific needs and if they can provide local support when necessary.
Some providers may have separate teams for incident response, threat intelligence, forensic analysis, malware analysis, and so on.
You might be interested to learn more about the following roles within cybersecurity:
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Security Analyst
- Security Engineer
- Penetration Tester
- Forensic Analyst
Others may have more integrated teams that can handle a wider range of tasks. You may want to consider whether you prefer a provider that has specialized teams for each area, or one that has more cross-functional teams.
Specialized knowledge of local threats and regulations
It can also be helpful to know where these teams are located. Some providers may have teams in multiple regions or countries, which can provide better coverage for global organizations or those with operations in different locations.
Others may focus more on a specific region or country, which can provide more specialized knowledge of local threats and regulations.
When evaluating incident response retainer providers, it’s a good idea to ask about their team structure and expertise, as well as their locations and coverage. This can help you make an informed decision about which provider is the best fit for your organization’s needs.
To conclude
Thank you for reading our blog on the top 20 incident response retainer providers besides Microsoft. We hope that this list has provided you with some useful insights into the range of options available for incident response services.
Remember to carefully evaluate and compare services, culture match, response, knowledge, and customer service before making your decision.
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We invite you to leave a comment and let us know which company you think would be the best fit for your needs.