Microsoft announces Microsoft Incident Response Retainer

Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Incident Response Retainer, allowing customers to pre-pay and count on help from Microsoft incident responders before, during and after a cybersecurity crisis.

Cybersecurity challenges faced by organizations

Organizations are facing numerous cyber attacks that can negatively affect their finances and reputation. Firms, especially small ones, often don’t have dedicated teams that can deal with a cyber incident – they simply don’t have the time, resources, or expertise to build an in-house incident response program.

Microsoft Incident Response is a service that helps organizations to eliminate bad actors after a breach has occurred, and to secure their systems from possible future attacks.

The Microsoft Incident Response Retainer service

With the Microsoft Incident Response Retainer – a new approach to offering IR services – customers sign an annual contract and have direct access to a team of experts who are experienced in resolving ransomware attacks, nation-state attacks, and other cybersecurity threats.

In the event of an active security attack, organizations have access to intelligence-driven investigation and compromise recovery services to help them adequately respond and remediate.

But even before getting hit with a cyber attack, organizations can build up their security posture and prepare by getting compromise assessments, crisis readiness exercises, and quarterly threat briefings with tailored guidance.

“A named SDM will work with you throughout the year to proactively schedule services and help you get the full value of your retainer contract,” Microsoft explains.

Who’s the service for?

The service is available for:

• Microsoft customers
• Customers that don’t use Microsoft Security products
• Enterprise, government, education, and non-profit customers using the Microsoft commercial cloud

“It’s contracted on an annual basis and the retainer hours can be used in any combination of proactive and reactive services,” Microsoft says, and notes that it’s designed to work with cyber insurance vendors.

Microsoft Incident Response Retainer has flexible delivery options, and additional hours can be added to the original contract.