When it happens, you need
someone who answers.
A pre-paid incident response retainer guarantees ByteTempest is on your team before you need us, not after you've spent three days trying to find someone. Speed is everything in a breach. Retainer clients go to the front of the line.
Why a retainer changes everything
Without a retainer, breach response starts with negotiating scope and price while your systems are compromised and your contracts are at risk. Every hour of that negotiation is an hour an attacker has uncontested access. With a ByteTempest IR retainer, scope is agreed in advance, the relationship is already in place, and we respond the moment you call.
Unused hours and overages
Unused retainer hours roll forward each quarter. You are not paying for hours you do not use. If an incident runs over the included hours, overages bill at the retainer rate. Defense contractors get specific support for DFARS 252.204-7012 reporting, including the contractor portal submission and preservation of images of all compromised systems.
Response tiers
| Tier | Response SLA | Hours / Quarter | Rollover | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 4 business hours | 4 hrs | Within quarter | $1,500 |
| Professional | 2 hours, any time | 8 hrs | Within quarter | $2,500 |
| Mission-Critical | 1 hour, 24/7/365 | 16 hrs | Full annual rollover | $4,000 |
DoD contractors
DFARS 252.204-7012 requires reporting cyber incidents to DoD within 72 hours. ByteTempest IR retainer clients receive specific support for compliant incident reporting, including the contractor reporting portal submission and preservation of images of all compromised systems.