Cyber Incident Response Services

When an attacker is inside your environment, our digital forensics and incident response team contains the intrusion, preserves the evidence, finds the root cause, and gets you operating again. We work with your counsel and your insurer from the first call, and every finding comes with the specific fix that closes it.
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Definition

What are incident response services?

Incident response services are the outside expertise a company brings in to handle a security incident: confirming what is happening, containing the attacker, preserving evidence, finding the root cause, removing the attacker's access, and restoring systems safely. Digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) joins that operational work to forensic investigation, so the team that stops an attack can also prove how it started and what it touched. NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 3, published in April 2025, places incident response inside an organization's broader cybersecurity risk management under the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0.

What the first 24 hours cover: an intake call with you and your counsel to set scope, reporting lines, and who directs the work; preservation instructions so nobody reimages a machine or lets a log expire; triage of the alerts, accounts, and systems involved; containment steps sized to what the evidence shows; collection of memory, disk images, and cloud logs from the systems that matter; and a written status that lists what is known, what is not, and the decisions due next.

Services

What our incident response services include

Triage and scoping
Containment
Digital forensics and root cause (DFIR)
Ransomware response
Business email compromise
Cloud and Microsoft 365 incidents
Eradication and recovery
Notification and regulator support
Post-incident report and hardening

Triage and scoping

We confirm whether you have an incident, what kind, and how far it reaches. We review the alerts, identity and endpoint telemetry, and the systems involved, then agree the scope, the reporting lines, and the first containment steps with you and your counsel. You get a written starting position early, so the first decisions rest on evidence.

Containment

We cut the attacker's access without destroying the evidence you will need later: isolating hosts instead of wiping them, disabling compromised accounts, revoking sessions and tokens, and blocking attacker infrastructure at the firewall and in your EDR. Each action is logged with a time and a reason, which is what regulators, insurers, and opposing experts ask to see.

Digital forensics and root cause (DFIR)

Our examiners collect memory, disk images, and cloud logs in order of volatility, verify each copy by hash, and keep a chain of custody from the start. The analysis establishes the initial access vector, the timeline, lateral movement, persistence, and the data accessed or taken, mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques and written so the findings can be defended.

Ransomware response

We preserve encrypted hosts, memory, ransom notes, and samples before restoration starts, then trace how the attackers got in and whether they took data before encrypting it. That evidence drives the notification analysis, the insurance claim, and any payment decision your leadership and counsel make, including the sanctions question OFAC's 2021 advisory raises.

Business email compromise

We establish how the mailbox was compromised, which messages the attacker read, sent, or forwarded, and which inbox rules and app consents were left behind, using the unified audit log, message trace, and sign-in logs. If money moved, we give your finance team the facts its bank and an FBI IC3 report need. The FBI counted 24,768 BEC complaints in 2025.

Cloud and Microsoft 365 incidents

We investigate compromised Entra ID and Google Workspace identities, OAuth app grants, AWS and Azure control-plane activity, and SaaS data access. Cloud logs expire on short default clocks, such as 30 days for Entra ID sign-in logs on P1 and P2 and 90 days for CloudTrail event history, so we export them on day one and extend retention while the work runs.

Eradication and recovery

We remove persistence, reset credentials in the right order, and rebuild identity services first, then restore systems from known-good backups into a clean environment. Recovery runs alongside the investigation, so nothing comes back into a network the attacker still controls.

Notification and regulator support

We give counsel the facts the notification analysis depends on: what data was involved, whose it was, and whether it was acquired or only exposed. We support the work behind state breach notices, HIPAA notices, SEC Form 8-K Item 1.05 filings, and NYDFS 500.17 reports, and the legal conclusions stay with your attorneys.

Post-incident report and hardening

The final report states the root cause, the timeline, and the control gaps the attacker used, each with a specific fix and an owner. We then help close those gaps, test the fixes, and run a tabletop exercise built on what happened, so the next response starts from a stronger position.

contact us

Facing an active incident?

Contact us with what you know so far. We will help you decide what to preserve right away and how to scope the response with your counsel and insurer.

How We Work

How an incident response engagement runs

Each engagement follows the same sequence, adjusted to what the evidence shows and to who directs the work, you or your counsel.
Our Advantage

Why BD Emerson for incident response

One team from forensics to fixes

The practitioners who investigate your incident also run penetration tests, security monitoring, and compliance programs. The root cause becomes tested fixes without a handoff to a new firm that has to learn your environment from a report.

Built to work with counsel

We do Kovel work and work at the direction of outside counsel when privilege matters, with reporting lines, drafts, and distribution set by counsel. Privilege calls belong to counsel and the court, and we coordinate with your insurer's claims process.

Findings that change the environment

Every finding names the control that failed, the evidence for it, and the change that closes it. Post-incident work ties back to that root cause, so the next tabletop or penetration test checks the specific gap the attacker used.

Reviews

What our customers say

Great consulting firms for scaling security, compliance, and appsec.

Outstanding partner in Technical and Cyber Due Diligence

Appsec maturity and application hardening.

BD Emerson helped us simplfiy our compliance management.

BD Emerson did such a phenomenal job. What started as privacy support quickly became a full partnership across compliance, engineering, and even business operations. They’re embedded with our team. They understand our product. They move fast. They’re simply invaluable.

Adam Ben Jacobs

CTO @ OneStep GPS

Great consulting firms for scaling security, compliance, and appsec.

Outstanding partner in Technical and Cyber Due Diligence

Appsec maturity and application hardening.

BD Emerson helped us simplfiy our compliance management.

BD Emerson did such a phenomenal job. What started as privacy support quickly became a full partnership across compliance, engineering, and even business operations. They’re embedded with our team. They understand our product. They move fast. They’re simply invaluable.

Adam Ben Jacobs

CTO @ OneStep GPS

We had a hard time finding the right company to partner with in support of our compliance journey. Some vendors sell the idea that they do the work, but then you end up doing everything. The ambiguity is what killed our last project. BD Emerson’s team has such great technical knowledge and understands the standard so well that they made us comfortable with moving fast. This has led to us closing major enterprise customers that were previously out of reach because of security and compliance.

Tom Watkins

CEO @ AMI AssetTrack

Lead an enterprise initiative to overhaul the organization's technology stack from ecommerce, corporate tech, and corporate security.

Supported ISO 42001 exercise and served as internal auditor.

Rubrik's privacy and compliance team began with the backbone of BD Emerson. BD Emerson supported building out the privacy program, GRC (ISO 27001, SOC 2, CMMC, FedRAMP), and the appsec function.

We needed a partner who could move quickly, without sacrificing precision. BD Emerson brought the expertise, structure, and speed we were looking for. Their team became an extension of ours, embedding themselves across the organization, guiding us step by step, and giving us confidence in areas we hadn’t tackled before. The internal audit they conducted was so detailed that even the external auditors called it out. Achieving ISO 27001 with zero nonconformities says everything you need to know about the quality of the partnership.

Walid Souilem

CTO @ FGI Worldwide

We had a hard time finding the right company to partner with in support of our compliance journey. Some vendors sell the idea that they do the work, but then you end up doing everything. The ambiguity is what killed our last project. BD Emerson’s team has such great technical knowledge and understands the standard so well that they made us comfortable with moving fast. This has led to us closing major enterprise customers that were previously out of reach because of security and compliance.

Tom Watkins

CEO @ AMI AssetTrack

Lead an enterprise initiative to overhaul the organization's technology stack from ecommerce, corporate tech, and corporate security.

Supported ISO 42001 exercise and served as internal auditor.

Rubrik's privacy and compliance team began with the backbone of BD Emerson. BD Emerson supported building out the privacy program, GRC (ISO 27001, SOC 2, CMMC, FedRAMP), and the appsec function.

We needed a partner who could move quickly, without sacrificing precision. BD Emerson brought the expertise, structure, and speed we were looking for. Their team became an extension of ours, embedding themselves across the organization, guiding us step by step, and giving us confidence in areas we hadn’t tackled before. The internal audit they conducted was so detailed that even the external auditors called it out. Achieving ISO 27001 with zero nonconformities says everything you need to know about the quality of the partnership.

Walid Souilem

CTO @ FGI Worldwide

BD Emerson didn’t just help us meet our compliance goals; they integrated security and privacy into the core of our operations. I highly recommend BD Emerson to anyone seeking SOC 2 or GDPR compliance, or simply looking to enhance their security team and boost customer trust in their product and services. Their dedication and expertise have been invaluable to our success.

Padraig Reilly

CEO, Boxcore

BD Emerson understood our business requirements and worked side-by-side with us. The policies and controls we developed together not only meet compliance standards but improve how we operate day to day.

Matt Meierdierks

IT Manager, Lincoln Industries

From day one, BD Emerson brought urgency, clarity, and a sharp understanding of what truly matters to our business — earning and keeping customer trust. They went beyond helping us meet compliance requirements; they helped build a foundation for secure, scalable growth. That kind of partnership is rare.

Jason Marker

CEO @ LifeLenz

BD Emerson didn’t just help us pass an audit—they helped us build a sustainable culture of security.

Alexey Indeev

CTO Spare

BD Emerson was essential in helping our company navigate the daunting process of leveling up our security infrastructure. BD Emerson’s impressive expertise and confidence throughout the process helped our team exceed HIPAA and SOC 2 Type 1 standards quickly, distilling what can be an overwhelming process into a streamlined, organized effort. From day one they began adding value and getting us on course. With their help we delivered on a massive security overhaul with both extreme efficiency and thorough attention to details. Because of BD Emerson’s support, we’ve increased our clients’ trust in Titan Intake and the life-changing work it accomplishes for those seeking specialist referrals.

Patrick Bruce

CEO, Titan Intake

BD Emerson didn’t just help us meet our compliance goals; they integrated security and privacy into the core of our operations. I highly recommend BD Emerson to anyone seeking SOC 2 or GDPR compliance, or simply looking to enhance their security team and boost customer trust in their product and services. Their dedication and expertise have been invaluable to our success.

Padraig Reilly

CEO, Boxcore

BD Emerson understood our business requirements and worked side-by-side with us. The policies and controls we developed together not only meet compliance standards but improve how we operate day to day.

Matt Meierdierks

IT Manager, Lincoln Industries

From day one, BD Emerson brought urgency, clarity, and a sharp understanding of what truly matters to our business — earning and keeping customer trust. They went beyond helping us meet compliance requirements; they helped build a foundation for secure, scalable growth. That kind of partnership is rare.

Jason Marker

CEO @ LifeLenz

BD Emerson didn’t just help us pass an audit—they helped us build a sustainable culture of security.

Alexey Indeev

CTO Spare

BD Emerson was essential in helping our company navigate the daunting process of leveling up our security infrastructure. BD Emerson’s impressive expertise and confidence throughout the process helped our team exceed HIPAA and SOC 2 Type 1 standards quickly, distilling what can be an overwhelming process into a streamlined, organized effort. From day one they began adding value and getting us on course. With their help we delivered on a massive security overhaul with both extreme efficiency and thorough attention to details. Because of BD Emerson’s support, we’ve increased our clients’ trust in Titan Intake and the life-changing work it accomplishes for those seeking specialist referrals.

Patrick Bruce

CEO, Titan Intake

Certificates

Our accreditations

Our practitioners hold security, privacy, cloud, and AI governance certifications, and the people who earned them do the work on your engagement.

Guides

Guides on incident response and forensics

How investigations run, what they must establish, and how to prepare your team and your counsel before an incident.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What do incident response services include?

How quickly can BD Emerson start work on an incident?

Do we need an incident response retainer before we call?

What drives the cost of an incident response engagement?

Do you work with cyber insurance carriers?

Can the investigation be done under attorney-client privilege?

What is the difference between DFIR and incident response?

What should we do in the first hour before you arrive?

Blog

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