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Services/Cyber Defence

Incident Response & Digital Forensics

Prepare for cyber incidents, coordinate response and examine relevant digital evidence to support informed decisions.

Last reviewed:

What is this service?

Incident response coordinates the investigation, containment and recovery of a suspected security incident. Digital forensics preserves and analyses relevant evidence to explain events and support defensible decisions. JODOR agrees authority, communication and evidence handling early. Immediate operational recovery and preservation of evidence can pull in different directions, so responders need clear priorities and accountable decisions rather than an improvised sequence of technical actions.

Who needs it?

Use incident response support when suspicious activity needs investigation or when building preparedness through a retainer and exercises. Legal, privacy, communications and business owners may need to join the response. The required forensic methods depend on available systems, logs, access permissions and evidence retention; missing historical records can limit what any investigation can establish.

What we cover

Scope options

Incident response

  • Response planning and readiness
  • Incident triage and coordination
  • Containment and recovery advisory

Digital forensics

  • Evidence acquisition and preservation
  • Endpoint and system examination
  • Timeline and activity analysis

Preparedness

  • Incident response retainer
  • Tabletop exercises
  • Response process review

How we deliver

Delivery starts with an agreed scope, named asset owners, access permissions, evidence requirements and a communication plan. For this service, the discussion includes Response planning and readiness, Incident triage and coordination, Containment and recovery advisory, Evidence acquisition and preservation. Observations are connected to their source and business context, and assumptions are checked with the relevant owners. Work outside the agreement is raised explicitly rather than silently added. Review points and escalation arrangements help your team understand what has been completed, what remains uncertain and which actions depend on information or authorisation from you.

01

Prepare

Agree contacts, escalation paths, access and response arrangements.

02

Respond

Triage the incident and coordinate the agreed response activities.

03

Examine

Analyse relevant evidence and document observations and timelines.

04

Improve

Share findings and practical actions for recovery and readiness.

Deliverables

Deliverables connect the findings to the agreed business objective rather than simply export tool output. Recommendations identify rationale, relative priority, proposed ownership and dependencies on other teams or technologies. We distinguish verified observations from items requiring further evidence, and explain limitations that affect confidence. Sensitive material is handled under the agreed arrangements. A readout gives your team an opportunity to challenge conclusions and clarify next steps. Implementation, retesting and continued oversight are included only where the proposal explicitly defines them.

  • Incident activity summary
  • Evidence handling documentation
  • Forensic findings and timeline
  • Response and recovery recommendations

Timeline

Timing is agreed after scoping and checking evidence readiness, system access and stakeholder availability. A bounded assessment may take several weeks; implementation or ongoing support needs a separate phased plan. The proposal identifies assumptions, dependencies and review points. Changes to assets, permissions or access can change the schedule. An indicative duration is not a universal delivery promise or a substitute for confirming your actual environment.

Frequently asked questions

Should compromised systems be wiped before investigation?

Not automatically. Rebuilding may remove evidence needed to understand entry, scope and persistence. When safe and authorised, responders may preserve relevant logs, volatile data or forensic images before remediation. Business continuity and ongoing harm can require urgent containment, so there is no universal sequence. Document the decision, preserve what is feasible and coordinate with the organisation's legal and regulatory response owners.

What should we prepare before the engagement?

Prepare asset and service ownership details, relevant policies, available records and an approved way to share evidence. We discuss Response planning and readiness, Incident triage and coordination, Containment and recovery advisory, Evidence acquisition and preservation. Access must be authorised before any intrusive or privileged activity begins. Missing information is recorded as a limitation and prioritised with your team, rather than automatically interpreted as proof that a control either exists or has failed.

How does the team turn findings into practical actions?

Findings should connect the observation, relevant risk and required control to a proposed owner and verifiable outcome. Management resolves competing priorities and decides whether to treat or accept risk within its authority. Closing a ticket alone does not prove that an issue has been removed. We explain suitable verification, with retesting or continued tracking included only when explicitly agreed in scope.

How long does delivery take, and is the schedule guaranteed?

Timing is agreed after scoping and checking evidence readiness, system access and stakeholder availability. A bounded assessment may take several weeks; implementation or ongoing support needs a separate phased plan. The proposal identifies assumptions, dependencies and review points. Changes to assets, permissions or access can change the schedule. An indicative duration is not a universal delivery promise or a substitute for confirming your actual environment.

Does this service guarantee compliance or prevent every incident?

No. The service supports assessment, improvement and evidence within an agreed scope; it cannot prevent every incident or confer regulatory approval. Applicable obligations depend on your activities, supervising authority and the requirements in force. Management retains responsibility for implementation, risk decisions and any formal submission. We describe what was and was not assessed so that a scoped finding is not mistaken for an organisation-wide guarantee.

Related services

Explore SAMA regulatory compliance guidance for this service

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