Sophos Security Services Retainer

Sophos Security Services Retainer provides planned access to security specialists for agreed assessments, advice and technical services. Companies purchase an allocation of Service Units for eligible services from the Sophos service catalogue. Depending on the selected level, prepared incident-response readiness is included. This helps plan security work and bring in expertise where needed.

Expertise for the next important steps

Security plans need assessment and improvement in everyday operations too. The retainer enables selected Sophos services to be arranged ahead of urgent needs. Use depends on the current service catalogue and company requirements. Sophos clarifies scope, availability and expected Service Unit consumption before an engagement; delivery follows written approval of the agreed assignment.

Four levels with different services

Levels 1 to 4 differ in their Service Units and readiness and support coverage. Level 1 provides a smaller allocation for planned services. Incident-response readiness and the corresponding conversion of its units additionally require a Standalone IR Retainer.

From Level 2, access to digital forensics and incident response is included within the relevant contractual scope. Higher levels have different response agreements and additional support. Selection therefore depends on planned service needs and the support to prepare for an incident. An initial contact response, the start of an engagement and on-site assistance are separate services.

Be ready to respond when it matters

Pre-agreed procedures and terms help structure collaboration during an incident. Sophos agrees the investigation scope and estimated effort for approval. Eligible Service Units can be converted into incident-response hours under the terms; additional services can incur costs. A retainer therefore provides neither unlimited incident response nor blanket coverage of all costs following an attack.

Use the allocation within the term

Service Units are a service allocation, not a fixed number of working hours for every service. Engagements must be arranged in time and completed within the subscription. Unused units expire under the terms; automatic rollover is not provided. The Service Unit Add-on offers additional capacity.

The retainer suits organisations planning targeted external expertise. It can complement MDR but does not perform its ongoing monitoring. Before selecting, establish desired services, internal responsibilities, readiness needs and realistic availability for planned engagements.