Cyber security incidents don’t clock in at 9 and clock out at 5. They strike whenever a weakness is found – whether it’s a misconfigured cloud service, a successful phishing attack, or a zero-day exploit. And when they do, the speed and efficiency of your response can mean the difference between a manageable incident and one with catastrophic business consequences. 

That’s where an Incident Response (IR) Retainer comes in. 

Many organisations understand the importance of incident response. They may even have a basic plan in place. But when the moment comes – a real-world ransomware attack, a suspected compromise, or data breach – time, expertise and clarity are often in short supply. An IR retainer bridges that gap, putting expert responders on standby and reducing the impact of a breach before it spirals out of control. 

What is an incident response retainer? 

An IR retainer is a pre-arranged agreement with a cyber security provider that guarantees access to their incident response team in the event of a cyber attack. Unlike ad-hoc services that may involve time-consuming contracts and availability concerns, an IR retainer ensures immediate action, defined service levels, and priority support when it’s needed most. 

But not all IR retainers are created equal. 

A high-quality IR retainer should go beyond simple availability. It should act as a proactive partnership, helping organisations build resilience before an incident occurs, and supporting recovery after the dust settles. 

Why your business should have one 

Cyber threats are evolving in scale and complexity. Ransomware gangs, state-backed actors, insider threats and highly targeted phishing campaigns are no longer reserved for global giants. SMEs and mid-market organisations are now prime targets – and often the least prepared to respond. 

Many lack the internal skills or resources to investigate, contain and eradicate an attack quickly. The delay in response not only amplifies the damage but can also increase legal, reputational and regulatory risks. Many businesses also lack the capacity to keep their incident response plans up to date or test them regularly, leaving them vulnerable when an attack occurs. 

An IR retainer helps bridge that gap by: 

• Providing fast access to experienced incident responders 

• Helping contain and remediate attacks with minimal disruption 

• Ensuring compliance with key frameworks like ISO/IEC 27001, NIST, and COBIT 

• Offering forensic and malware analysis, reporting and board-level communication 

• Supporting readiness and recovery activities to reduce risk going forward 

In short, it offers peace of mind and demonstrable resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. 

Five key components of an effective IR retainer 

If you’re evaluating IR retainers, don’t just ask whether you’ll get support. Ask what that support looks like, how it’s delivered, and whether it aligns with your organisation’s risk profile. Here are five key components every effective IR retainer should include: 

1. clear service-level agreements (SLAs)
   Speed is everything in incident response. A good retainer defines exactly what support is included, how fast the provider will respond, and how your hours or credits can be allocated. Transparency around deliverables, escalation paths, and costs is essential – especially when every minute counts.
2. 24/7/365 availability
   Threat actors don’t take holidays. Your IR provider must be reachable around the clock with a guaranteed response time – whether it’s 3am on a Saturday or 9am on a Monday. Anything less is a risk your business can’t afford to take.
3. tailored services that reflect your threat landscape
   Your organisation isn’t a carbon copy of the next. Whether you're in finance, healthcare or retail, your threat profile will be different. Your IR retainer should include services that reflect your reality – whether that’s ransomware negotiation, investigation of business email compromise (BEC), or support during DDoS mitigation.
4. support for IR planning and readiness
   It’s not just about the response. Preparation is critical. A good retainer includes help with IR plan development, tabletop exercises, and readiness assessments. These ensure your teams know how to act, what their roles are, and how to engage the retainer quickly and effectively.
5. guidance on security posture hardening
   IR isn’t just about fixing things when they go wrong – it’s also about preventing incidents before they happen. The right partner will help you identify exposures, close gaps in your defences, and implement changes that make you a harder target for attackers.

The integrity360 approach to IR retainers 

At Integrity360, we believe incident response isn’t just a service – it’s a strategic partnership. 

Our IR retainers offer a comprehensive suite of services that go far beyond the minimum. Built on a tried-and-tested staged approach, we support you across every phase of the response lifecycle: 

• Preparation – We help define your escalation paths, align on SLAs and readiness procedures, and ensure the retainer is primed for activation. 

• Detection and Analysis – Our experts deploy assessment tools and perform log and malware analysis to pinpoint root causes. 

• Containment and Eradication – We work with your teams to isolate threats, remove malicious actors, and restore systems safely. 

• Post-Incident Support – We deliver forensic reporting, technical briefings, and insights to guide board-level decisions and future prevention. 

• The flexibility to reuse unused IR hours – If you don’t experience a cyber incident during your retainer period, your hours can be repurposed for proactive cyber security support, such as assessments, gap analysis, tabletop exercises, or advisory services. 

You also gain access to: 

• A 24x7x365 Security Operations Centre and response team 

• Deep technical expertise on demand 

• Regular status reports and project management 

• Guidance on improving your overall cyber resilience 

Even better, unused hours within your IR retainer can be repurposed to bolster other areas of your cyber strategy – from gap assessments to policy reviews – ensuring every pound spent brings ongoing value. 

With Integrity360, you’re not just buying response time. You’re building capability, accelerating recovery, and demonstrating resilience in the face of today’s most pressing threats. Want to know more? Contact our experts.