Cyber Threat and Incident Response
When You Suspect a Breach, Clear Answers Matter
Incident response services help an organization that suspects or has confirmed a cyber compromise understand what happened, contain the damage, preserve evidence and plan a safe recovery. They also include preparation, such as response plans and tabletop exercises, so your team knows what to do before an incident starts. Redbeard Intelligence and Investigations provides this help to businesses, law firms and other organizations nationwide.
We are based in Florida and work remotely or on-site as each matter requires. Our response work is grounded in our digital forensics practice, so evidence is collected and documented in a way that can support counsel, insurers and law enforcement referrals. We are not a managed security operations center and do not provide continuous monitoring; we can work alongside your existing IT provider or monitoring service.
Why Evidence-Driven Response Matters
Early decisions in an incident shape what can be proven, what must be reported and how operations recover.
- Evidence Preserved Properly
Logs, disk images and memory captured with hashing and chain-of-custody records.
- Clear Scoping
Triage that separates what is known from what is assumed, so decisions rest on facts.
- Containment Guidance
Practical steps to cut off attacker access without destroying the evidence you will need.
- Root-Cause Findings
A timeline showing how the attacker got in, what they touched and what data may have left.
- Counsel and Insurer Ready
Reporting structured to support your attorneys, your carrier and notification decisions.
- Readiness Before a Crisis
Response plans and tabletop exercises that test decisions before they are needed for real.
If You Think You Are Under Attack Right Now
- Preserve evidence. Do not wipe, reimage or rebuild affected computers or servers yet; they hold the record of what happened.
- Isolate rather than power off, where advised. Disconnecting a device from the network usually keeps more evidence than shutting it down, which can erase memory.
- Change credentials from a clean device. Reset email, administrator, banking and remote-access passwords from a computer or phone you believe is not compromised.
- Write things down. Note times, ransom messages, unusual emails and every action taken, and keep screenshots.
- Contact legal counsel and your cyber insurer early. Many policies require prompt notice and the use of approved vendors.
- Report to law enforcement where appropriate, such as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and call your bank right away if money was sent.
- Call Redbeard at (888) 564-8300 to talk through next steps.
What Is in Scope
- Triage and scoping to establish which systems, accounts and data may be affected.
- Containment guidance such as isolating hosts, disabling accounts, resetting credentials and blocking known attacker indicators.
- Forensic evidence collection from computers, servers, email, cloud and SaaS audit logs, firewalls and VPNs, with hashing and chain-of-custody records.
- Root-cause investigation to identify the entry point, attacker activity and what data was accessed or taken.
- Email compromise investigations covering mailbox rules, sign-in history and the payment timeline.
- Compromise assessments and scoped threat hunting when you need to know whether an intrusion occurred, such as before an acquisition or after a vendor breach.
- Recovery support, including removing persistence, closing the entry point and restoring from backups verified as clean.
- Preparation: response plans, playbooks and tabletop exercises for leadership and technical teams.
How an Engagement Runs
Our process follows the lifecycle in public guidance such as NIST SP 800-61, revised in 2025 to align with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0. In practice:
- First call and triage. We learn what you are seeing and what has already been done.
- Evidence preservation. The most volatile data is captured first, then disks, logs and cloud records.
- Containment. We guide your team or IT provider through steps that stop the spread while protecting evidence.
- Investigation. Our team builds a timeline, identifies the root cause and assesses data exposure.
- Eradication and recovery. Attacker access is removed and systems are restored from clean sources, with your team watching for signs of return.
- Reporting and lessons learned. Findings, recommendations and a debrief help prevent a repeat.
What You Receive
- An incident timeline and root-cause findings, including the likely entry point.
- A summary of affected systems, accounts and data to inform counsel’s notification decisions.
- Indicators of compromise to block and watch for.
- An evidence inventory with hash values and chain-of-custody records.
- Executive and technical reports, prepared at counsel’s direction where requested.
- Hardening recommendations and, for readiness work, plans, playbooks and tabletop after-action reports.
Authorization and Engagement Terms
Response work begins only with written authorization from someone with authority over the affected systems, such as an owner, executive or counsel acting for the organization. Where cloud, hosting or managed service providers control part of the environment, access is coordinated through them. Each engagement has a written scope, named points of contact and a clear path for escalating decisions. Notification decisions, and whether work is structured under attorney-client privilege, stay with you and your counsel.
What Affects Cost
Cost depends on the number of systems, users and locations involved, the volume of evidence to collect, whether cloud and email platforms are affected, any on-site collection and travel, and how much analysis and reporting counsel requires. Readiness work depends on the number of plans, playbooks and tabletop sessions. Active incidents often change scope as facts emerge.
Who It Is For
Organizations seek incident response help after ransomware or extortion, email compromise or wire fraud, alerts from security tools, signs that their data has appeared online, or suspected theft by a departing employee. It also suits law firms acting for breached clients and buyers that want a compromise assessment before an acquisition. Readiness work fits any organization that wants its plan tested. After an incident, a vulnerability assessment or penetration test can confirm that fixes hold, and our hacking and intrusion investigations can support a broader inquiry into who was responsible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the first steps after a ransomware attack?
Isolate affected systems from the network without wiping or reimaging them, and preserve ransom notes, logs and screenshots. Contact legal counsel and your cyber insurer early, because many policies require prompt notice and approved vendors. Avoid paying or negotiating before speaking with counsel, since payments can carry legal and sanctions risk. Then bring in responders to scope the incident and guide containment.
Should we wipe infected computers right away?
No. Wiping or reimaging too early destroys the evidence needed to learn how the attacker got in, what they accessed and whether they still have a foothold elsewhere. Disconnect affected devices from the network instead, and leave them powered on unless a responder advises otherwise. Once evidence is preserved, systems can be rebuilt from clean sources as part of recovery.
How is incident response different from MDR?
Managed detection and response (MDR) providers watch an environment continuously and take first-line action on alerts. Incident response is engaged when a compromise is suspected or confirmed, to investigate, preserve evidence, guide containment and recovery, and explain what happened. Redbeard provides incident response and readiness work, not continuous monitoring, and can work alongside your MDR or IT provider.
Does our cyber insurer decide which incident response firm we use?
It can. Many cyber insurance policies require prompt notice to the carrier and either the use of a vendor from an approved panel or the carrier’s consent before outside responders are hired. Review your policy and call your insurer early in any incident. Redbeard can coordinate with your carrier and counsel or support the response team they appoint.
What is a tabletop exercise, and how often is one needed?
A tabletop exercise is a guided discussion in which leaders and technical staff walk through a realistic incident, such as ransomware or email fraud, to test decisions, roles and communication. A common approach is to run one at least once a year and after major changes. PCI DSS, for example, expects incident response plans to be tested at least every 12 months.
Explore Redbeard Security Services
- Security Assessment and Testing Services
- Physical Security Assessments
- Physical Penetration Testing
- Social Engineering Testing
- Vulnerability Assessment Services
- Penetration Testing Services
- Mobile Application Penetration Testing
- Red Team and Attack Simulation
- AI Security Testing
- Cybersecurity Advisory
- Contact Redbeard Intelligence and Investigations
Related services: digital forensics, hacking and intrusion investigations and TSCM bug sweeps.
Talk to Us About a Suspected Cyber Incident
Whether you are facing an active incident or want your team ready before one happens, Redbeard Intelligence and Investigations can help you preserve evidence, understand what happened and plan next steps with your counsel and insurer. Call (888) 564-8300 or email contact@redbeardpi.com to discuss your situation in confidence.
What is the cost? | how does it work?
At Redbeard Intelligence & Investigations, we offer upfront, transparent pricing that reflects the specific details and complexity of each case. Instead of vague estimates or hidden charges, we provide clear, upfront pricing tailored to your investigation’s unique requirements—without unexpected fees, hidden costs, or additional unexpected expenses. Our goal is to offer efficient, high-quality investigative and intelligence solutions with transparency and peace of mind.
To begin an investigation, intelligence operation, or technical security assessment, the first step is a confidential consultation via phone or email with one of our experienced professionals. During this initial discussion, we will gather key details about your situation to determine the most effective strategy tailored to your needs. Whether you require private investigative services, intelligence gathering, or technical security solutions, our team will develop a customized plan designed to achieve your objectives. Based on the specific requirements of your case, we will then provide a transparent price quote and/or invoice for the cost of the services needed. Throughout the process, we ensure clear and consistent communication, keeping you informed of any significant developments. Upon completion, you will receive a comprehensive written report detailing our findings, along with any supporting evidence such as photos, video documentation, or technical security assessments.
Contact us through phone or email for an initial discussion and provide key details about your needs.
Based on the specific requirements of your case, you'll will receive a flat-rate price quote and invoice for the cost of the services needed.
With pricing and mutual terms accepted, payment will be collected for the predetermined costs, and you'll officially become our client.
Throughout the process, we keep you informed of any significant developments. Upon completion, you will receive a written report detailing our findings, along with any supporting evidence or documentation.
