The First 24 Hours of a Cyber Incident: What Actually Goes Wrong
When a cyber incident hits, most organizations don’t fail because of the attack.
They fail because of what happens next.
In the first 24 hours, decisions are made fast, often without full information, and under pressure from every direction—internal teams, customers, and sometimes attackers themselves. And small mistakes in this window can derail response, increase costs, and make recovery significantly harder.
In a recent webinar, experts across incident response, legal, and cyber insurance broke down what actually happens in those critical first hours—and what most organizations get wrong
1. The First Question Isn’t “What Happened?”, It’s “Who Do We Call?”
One of the biggest gaps organizations have isn’t technical, it’s operational. When something feels off, a suspicious email, unusual activity, or even a direct threat.teams hesitate. They try to figure it out internally first.
That’s often the wrong move. As discussed in the webinar, most internal IT teams are built to manage day-to-day operations, not active cyber incidents. Treating an incident like a routine issue can make things worse. As Joe Tarraf, Incident Response Lead at Surefire Cyber, explained: “Most IT teams are like general practitioners. When you’re having a cardiac event, you don’t want your GP—you want a specialist.
The better approach:
- Escalate early
- Bring in the right experts
- Treat anything “outside the norm” as a potential incident
As Rich Savage, who leads Cyber Incident Management at Tokio Marine HCC, put it: “If you see something outside the norm—something anomalous—it’s the time to call.”
Even a quick triage call can determine whether something is serious or contained, and in many cases, that initial assessment doesn’t require opening a full claim or escalating unnecessarily
2. Calling Insurance Isn’t a Last Step — It’s the First Step
A common misconception is that contacting cyber insurance slows things down. In reality, it does the opposite.
Modern incident response workflows are designed to move quickly. In many cases, organizations are connected with legal counsel, incident response teams, and guidance within minutes. not hours or days.
More importantly:
- Many policies require approval before incurring costs
- Early involvement helps avoid missteps
- You gain immediate access to experienced responders
Waiting to call often limits your options later.
3. Messaging Mistakes Can Make the Incident Worse
One of the most overlooked risks isn’t technical. it’s communication.
In the early stages of an incident, organizations don’t have full visibility. But teams often feel pressure to respond quickly to customers, employees, or the public. That’s where mistakes happen.
Using terms like “breach” or “ransomware” too early can:
- Trigger legal obligations
- Increase public scrutiny
- Force you to walk back statements later
As Robert Walker, Co-Chair of the Data Privacy & Cybersecurity team at Lewis Brisbois, noted:
“The words that you use have meaning… using terms like ‘breach’ too early can create obligations and consequences.”
The recommendation from legal experts is clear, keep messaging:
- High-level
- Controlled
- Intentionally vague
Saying too much too early can create more damage than the incident itself. In fact, some organizations don’t struggle because of the attack. they struggle because of how they communicate during it
4. Speed Matters More Than Perfection
Across multiple scenarios discussed in the webinar, one theme kept coming up:
Speed matters. Whether it’s:
- Reporting a suspicious event
- Engaging insurance
- Responding to fraud
Delays reduce your options.
For example, in financial fraud cases (like fraudulent wire transfers), waiting even a few days can make recovery impossible. Acting immediately. contacting banks, insurance, and response teams—can significantly improve outcomes.
The same applies to ransomware and broader incidents. Early action doesn’t just reduce damage. it gives you leverage.
5. Attackers Are More Informed Than You Think
One of the most striking examples discussed: Organizations storing their cyber insurance policy inside their own network. When attackers gain access, they often exfiltrate data, not just encrypt systems.
That includes:
- Internal documents
- Sensitive communications
- Cyber insurance policies
Once attackers have that information, they know:
- Your coverage limits
- Your negotiation range
- Exactly how much to demand
This isn’t theoretical, it’s happening in real incidents. And it fundamentally changes the dynamics of response and negotiation.
Savage also shared a real-world example: “We’ve seen attackers show exactly what they stole—including the cyber insurance policy—so they know your limits and tailor their demands.”
6. Most Organizations Are Unprepared for This Moment
The reality is: you don’t want to be figuring this out during an incident. Yet many organizations:
- Don’t know who to call
- Haven’t defined communication guidelines
- Haven’t trained teams on what to say (or not say)
- Don’t leverage the resources already available to them
Even basic preparation, like knowing your insurance contact or having a response plan, can save critical time. And most of these resources already exist. They’re just underused.
What Needs to Change
Security awareness can’t be a once-a-year exercise. It has to prepare teams for real scenarios:
- What to do
- What not to say
- How to escalate
- How to respond under pressure
Because when an incident happens, it’s not a training moment. It’s execution.
Closing the Gap Between Incidents and Training
This is where most organizations fall short. They experience incidents… but don’t translate those lessons into training fast enough.
By the time training is updated:
- The threat has evolved
- The moment has passed
- The behavior hasn’t changed
Bridging that gap, between real-world incidents and immediate training—is what makes security awareness actually effective.
Watch the Full Webinar
Want to see how these scenarios play out in real time?
Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/rz7eWkR6pQ0?si=QG5hmHJIyycIiqpq
