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Incident Response

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Callback within 30 minutes

Incident Response: Immediate Support for Cyberattacks and IT Emergencies

Ransomware, compromised accounts, email fraud: Call our incident hotline. We will assess the incident over the phone, contain it, and guide you through recovery and reporting obligations. The initial consultation is free of charge.

THE REALITY

Acute incident? Here is what you should do immediately.

Stay calm and act deliberately: much of the consequential damage happens within the first few hours—due to hasty decisions, deleted traces, or approved payments. Additionally, change the passwords of affected accounts from a different, secure device and log out of all active sessions. If you have already transferred money to scammers, call your bank immediately and request a recall of the transfer. Document everything with timestamps—then give us a call.

01

Disconnect affected devices from the network: turn off Wi-Fi, unplug the cable. Do not power off – this destroys traces in the RAM.

02

Do not delete or clean up anything: no files, emails, logs, or ransom notes. Insurance providers, law enforcement, and regulatory reports rely on this evidence.

03

Do not authorize any payments—neither ransom nor wire transfers, even if requested over the phone "by the boss".

Do you have cyber insurance? Call their emergency hotline first – delayed reporting can jeopardize your coverage. For guidance, see the BSI IT Emergency Card.

THE REALITY

Acute incident? Here is what you should do immediately.

Stay calm and act deliberately: much of the consequential damage happens within the first few hours—due to hasty decisions, deleted traces, or approved payments. Additionally, change the passwords of affected accounts from a different, secure device and log out of all active sessions. If you have already transferred money to scammers, call your bank immediately and request a recall of the transfer. Document everything with timestamps—then give us a call.

01

Disconnect affected devices from the network: turn off Wi-Fi, unplug the cable. Do not power off – this destroys traces in the RAM.

02

Do not delete or clean up anything: no files, emails, logs, or ransom notes. Insurance providers, law enforcement, and regulatory reports rely on this evidence.

03

Do not authorize any payments—neither ransom nor wire transfers, even if requested over the phone "by the boss".

Do you have cyber insurance? Call their emergency hotline first – delayed reporting can jeopardize your coverage. For guidance, see the BSI IT Emergency Card.

TYPICAL INCIDENTS

We help in these situations.

For companies and organizations across all industries – even if you are not yet a customer.

Ransomware

Files encrypted, ransom note on the screen. Immediately disconnect backups from the network, do not contact the blackmailers, take a photo of the message.

Account Takeover

Unfamiliar logins, unknown forwarding rules, emails you didn't write. We lock and secure affected accounts and investigate what the attacker had access to.

CEO Fraud & Wire Transfer Fraud

Approved a payment to a scammer? Call your bank immediately and request a recall of the transfer. After that, we will determine how the attack happened.

Phishing and its consequences

Clicked a link, entered login credentials, or opened an attachment? We'll investigate what happened and secure your accounts and devices before the attacker makes any further moves.

Data Leakage & Extortion

Threat of publication or data found online. Do not reply, save the message, note the time—the reporting deadlines are already running.

Malware

Antivirus warnings, unknown processes, systems behaving unusually. Initial analysis, containment, and subsequent cleanup or rebuild.

HOW IT WORKS

From the first call to the final report.

Every incident has phases. We guide you through them together—with clear time targets, documented decisions, and a dedicated point of contact. Before any costs are incurred, we will explicitly let you know and obtain a brief written confirmation for the order.

Round-the-clock monitoring with alarm notification on a screen

01

Initial assessment - instant and free of charge

Structured intake over the phone: What happened, since when, which systems and data are affected, and is there an IT department or IT service provider? We assess the incident and provide you with immediate recommendations during the call. Initial assessment within the first hour.

Round-the-clock monitoring with alarm notification on a screen

01

Initial assessment - instant and free of charge

Structured intake over the phone: What happened, since when, which systems and data are affected, and is there an IT department or IT service provider? We assess the incident and provide you with immediate recommendations during the call. Initial assessment within the first hour.

Vulnerability scan with warning message on a screen (same file as above)

02

Containment - Same Business Day

Remote or on-site in Berlin and Brandenburg: isolate affected systems, lock compromised accounts, revoke sessions and keys, protect backups, and secure logs. The goal: the attacker loses access while evidence is preserved.

Vulnerability scan with warning message on a screen (same file as above)

02

Containment - Same Business Day

Remote or on-site in Berlin and Brandenburg: isolate affected systems, lock compromised accounts, revoke sessions and keys, protect backups, and secure logs. The goal: the attacker loses access while evidence is preserved.

Shield with a lock and checkmark as a symbol for a resolved incident

03

Analysis - 24 to 72 hours

We determine the scope, root cause, and entry path—and whether data has been leaked. The result is a fact sheet that serves as the basis for all notifications. Court-admissible forensics is handled by specialized partners whom we bring in with your approval.

Shield with a lock and checkmark as a symbol for a resolved incident

03

Analysis - 24 to 72 hours

We determine the scope, root cause, and entry path—and whether data has been leaked. The result is a fact sheet that serves as the basis for all notifications. Court-admissible forensics is handled by specialized partners whom we bring in with your approval.

Reporting documentation of a security incident on a screen

04

Recovery and Completion

Recovery from clean backups, rebuilding instead of cleaning up in case of confirmed compromise, renewing all access credentials, closing the entry path. Within two weeks, you will receive the incident report—usable for insurance, regulatory authorities, and clients.

Reporting documentation of a security incident on a screen

04

Recovery and Completion

Recovery from clean backups, rebuilding instead of cleaning up in case of confirmed compromise, renewing all access credentials, closing the entry path. Within two weeks, you will receive the incident report—usable for insurance, regulatory authorities, and clients.

WHAT YOU GET

Help based on the situation – not by the package.

Not every incident is a crisis. We classify it into three levels and respond appropriately—from free telephone advice to an on-site crisis management team.

Legal basis

Reporting deadlines run from the moment you become aware of the incident.

"Essential and important entities shall notify the competent authority without undue delay and in any event within 24 hours of becoming aware of any significant incident." - NIS 2 Directive, Art. 23(4)(a)

In Germany, Section 32 of the BSIG applies: an early warning within 24 hours, a formal notification within 72 hours, and a final report after one month—submitted via the BSI reporting portal. Regardless of this, Article 33 of the GDPR requires data breaches to be reported to the supervisory authority within 72 hours and, in the event of high risk, the affected individuals must also be notified. We keep track of the deadlines and provide fact sheets and drafts; the legal assessment remains the responsibility of your lawyer or Data Protection Officer. Therefore, please note down the exact time you became aware of the incident—this moment starts all the deadlines.

Legal sources: Directive (EU) 2022/2555 (NIS 2) · NIS2UmsuCG of 6 December 2025 · Section 32 BSIG (reporting obligations) · Articles 33 and 34 GDPR.

Legal basis

Reporting deadlines run from the moment you become aware of the incident.

"Essential and important entities shall notify the competent authority without undue delay and in any event within 24 hours of becoming aware of any significant incident." - NIS 2 Directive, Art. 23(4)(a)

In Germany, Section 32 of the BSIG applies: an early warning within 24 hours, a formal notification within 72 hours, and a final report after one month—submitted via the BSI reporting portal. Regardless of this, Article 33 of the GDPR requires data breaches to be reported to the supervisory authority within 72 hours and, in the event of high risk, the affected individuals must also be notified. We keep track of the deadlines and provide fact sheets and drafts; the legal assessment remains the responsibility of your lawyer or Data Protection Officer. Therefore, please note down the exact time you became aware of the incident—this moment starts all the deadlines.

Legal sources: Directive (EU) 2022/2555 (NIS 2) · NIS2UmsuCG of 6 December 2025 · Section 32 BSIG (reporting obligations) · Articles 33 and 34 GDPR.

WHO IT'S FOR

We understand the specific requirements of your industry.

An incident in a healthcare facility unfolds differently than in an office: patient care takes precedence, medical devices are not patched arbitrarily, and patient data triggers parallel reporting pathways to the BSI and data protection authorities. Our approach is designed specifically for this.

Hospitals

Containment designed with hospital operations in mind: emergency procedures, prioritization of vital systems, coordination with medical and nursing leadership—all while keeping parallel reporting channels in view.

Medical Health Centers & Practice Networks

Practice management software encrypted, inboxes compromised: Initial assessment by phone, remote containment, and recovery – even without an in-house IT department, across all locations.

Private Clinics

Clear escalation without a dedicated security team: Initial assessment within the first hour, containment on the same business day, and a crisis management team with executive leadership for critical situations.

Pharma & MedTech

Incidents in production, laboratory, or supply chain: Initial analysis, containment, and sound evidence preservation - legally defensible forensics via specialized partners.

Care facilities

Distributed locations, mobile devices, minimal on-site IT: We guide you through the first steps by phone and contain the incident remotely. Resident data is strictly protected—we keep deadlines in check.

Health Tech

Compromised cloud accounts, data exfiltration from platforms and apps: containment, entry-vector analysis, and support for notifications under Article 33 GDPR.

PREVENTION

Prepared before it happens.

Those who have practiced their procedures react faster and more calmly in an emergency. We also offer these services without an active incident.

IT Disaster Recovery Plan

Who decides, who do you call, how does emergency operation work? We create or review your emergency plan, including reporting and recovery processes in accordance with NIS2—concise enough that it will actually be read in an emergency.

Emergency drills

A realistic scenario, such as ransomware, played out with management and IT as a tabletop exercise. Afterwards, everyone knows what to do—and where the plan has gaps.

Prepare reporting channels

BSI registration, templates for 24- and 72-hour notifications, and clear responsibilities. This turns reporting requirements into a routine rather than an added crisis when an incident occurs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cyberattacks

The most important answers for an emergency. Can't find your question? Call us at: +49 30 863283646.

What to do during a cyberattack on a company – what are the first steps?

What to do during a cyberattack on a company – what are the first steps?

Should I turn off affected computers or disconnect them from the network?

Should I turn off affected computers or disconnect them from the network?

When can you be reached, and what happens outside of business hours?

When can you be reached, and what happens outside of business hours?

How much does Incident Response cost?

How much does Incident Response cost?

Ransomware: Should we pay the ransom?

Ransomware: Should we pay the ransom?

Do I need to report the incident, and what deadlines apply?

Do I need to report the incident, and what deadlines apply?

Should we contact the police and our cyber insurance?

Should we contact the police and our cyber insurance?

Do you provide on-site support – even if we are not a customer yet?

Do you provide on-site support – even if we are not a customer yet?

FREE RISK ASSESSMENT

30 minutes. An honest picture of your security posture.

Every conversation begins with a free risk assessment — 30 minutes, no obligation. You will then receive a written report with your cybersecurity maturity level, risk areas, and immediate measures.

FREE RISK ASSESSMENT

30 minutes. An honest picture of your security posture.

Every conversation begins with a free risk assessment — 30 minutes, no obligation. You will then receive a written report with your cybersecurity maturity level, risk areas, and immediate measures.