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
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:
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
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:
Waiting to call often limits your options later.
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:
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:
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
Across multiple scenarios discussed in the webinar, one theme kept coming up:
Speed matters. Whether it’s:
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.
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:
Once attackers have that information, they know:
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.”
The reality is: you don’t want to be figuring this out during an incident. Yet many organizations:
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.
Security awareness can’t be a once-a-year exercise. It has to prepare teams for real scenarios:
Because when an incident happens, it’s not a training moment. It’s execution.
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:
Bridging that gap, between real-world incidents and immediate training—is what makes security awareness actually effective.
Want to see how these scenarios play out in real time?
Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/rz7eWkR6pQ0?si=QG5hmHJIyycIiqpq