Proactive Threat Modeling and Incident Response Retainer (10-15 days)
A productized engagement that maps client attack paths, hardens the highest-risk surfaces, and leaves behind a tested incident response runbook. Built for agencies that want security as a recurring retainer line rather than a one-off audit. Time: 10-15 days.
By InnovaAI ResearchPublished
How do you implement it?
Proactive Threat Modeling and Incident Response Retainer (10-15 days)
A productized engagement that maps client attack paths, hardens the highest-risk surfaces, and leaves behind a tested incident response runbook. Built for agencies that want security as a recurring retainer line rather than a one-off audit.
- Signed scope of work that explicitly disclaims absolute security guarantees and caps liability at fees paid
- Read-only access to the client's cloud accounts, code repositories, and identity provider, granted through a named technical contact
- An inventory of client-facing systems, third-party dependencies, and data classes handled under the retainer
- A named client escalation owner who can approve remediation windows and emergency changes
- A written incident severity matrix agreed with the client before any scanning begins
- 1.Kickoff with the client's technical and business owners to confirm scope boundaries
- 2.Collect architecture diagrams, vendor list, and prior audit findings
- 3.Agree the severity matrix and the out-of-scope systems list in writing
- 1.Enumerate external attack surface: domains, subdomains, exposed services, and API endpoints
- 2.Map identity provider configuration, including stale accounts and over-privileged roles
- 3.Flag any system holding regulated data for separate handling
- 1.Run dependency and credential scanning across the client's repositories
- 2.Triage findings by exploitability rather than raw severity score
- 3.Draft the first attack-path narrative for the two highest-risk chains
- 1.Review endpoint and browser policy posture across the client's fleet
- 2.Document gaps between written policy and enforced configuration
- 3.Identify which gaps a client admin can close without new spend
- 1.Model the top three attack paths end to end, from initial access to data impact
- 2.Estimate blast radius and business consequence for each path
- 3.Present interim findings to the client escalation owner
- 1.Prioritize remediations into a 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day sequence
- 2.Assign each item an owner on the client side and an effort estimate
- 3.Confirm which items the agency will execute versus advise on
- 1.Execute the agreed quick wins: access revocation, policy enforcement, secret rotation
- 2.Verify each change with a before-and-after evidence capture
- 3.Log every change in a shared remediation tracker
- 1.Draft the incident response runbook covering detection, triage, containment, and client notification
- 2.Define who calls whom, in what order, and within what timeframe
- 3.Set the evidence retention rules for logs and forensic artifacts
- 1.Run a tabletop exercise against one realistic breach scenario
- 2.Time each response step and record where the runbook breaks down
- 3.Revise the runbook based on observed friction
- 1.Assemble the final threat model with attack paths, evidence, and residual risk
- 2.Package the remediation roadmap with owners, dates, and cost bands
- 3.Deliver the runbook and the retainer monitoring scope in one handover session
Security work prices on consequence avoided, not hours logged, so a documented attack path that would have exposed client data justifies a five-figure engagement against a breach cost that routinely runs into six figures. The retainer converts a one-time assessment into recurring revenue because threat surfaces change every time the client ships a feature or adds a vendor. Agencies that pair proactive threat modeling with a tested incident response runbook can defend premium pricing, while those selling only scans compete on hourly rates.
- Prioritized threat model with named attack paths, evidence, and residual risk ratings
- Remediation roadmap split into 30, 90, and 180 day windows with owners and effort estimates
- Incident response runbook with severity tiers, escalation contacts, and notification timeframes
- Tabletop exercise report with observed response times and runbook revisions
- Monthly retainer monitoring summary covering new exposures and closed findings
The client has signed off on the threat model, the remediation roadmap, and the incident response runbook, and has completed one tabletop exercise with documented response times.