Raising the Bar for Incident Response

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Author: Jack Hughes

Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Recognised by UK’s NCSC as an Enhanced Level Cyber Incident Response Assured Service Provider 

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has officially added Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 to the Enhanced Level of its Cyber Incident Response (CIR) scheme, reflecting the high standards we bring to incident response. This is a significant milestone, not just for Unit 42, but for all customer organisations that depend on us to help keep them safe and resilient. It demonstrates our absolute commitment to not just meet but exceed the highest global standards of incident response, resilience and customer trust.

Why This Matters

The NCSC’s CIR scheme is the UK Government’s gold standard for cyber incident response. Providers undergo a rigorous assessment against stringent requirements defined by the NCSC. 

There are two levels: Standard and Enhanced. The differences between the two are as described by the NCSC. Unit 42 has now been assured at the Enhanced Level, demonstrating our proven capability to handle even the most complex and impactful security incidents. NCSC strongly recommends that organisations choose a CIR Enhanced Level Assured Service Provider if they meet the below circumstances:

• Your organisation operates in a regulated sector. 
• In more than one country.
• Is part of the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI); or is part of the UK Central Government. 

The scheme assures customers that Unit 42’s methodologies deliver high-quality, technically-competent incident response services and are appropriate when needing to respond to the world's most impactful cyberattacks.

This achievement comes at a pivotal time, as the NCSC continues to evolve its guidance to address the increasingly sophisticated threat landscape. The recent update to the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF v4.0), with its enhanced focus on understanding adversarial intent, secure software development and AI-related cyber risks, underscores the importance of a robust and proactive security posture. Our recognition for Enhanced Level CIR aligns directly with this commitment to help organisations strengthen their defences across critical national infrastructure.

Unit 42 Is More Than Just Incident Response

Earning the NCSC Enhanced Level CIR assurance reinforces what our clients already know: Unit 42 is more than a responder in times of crisis. We are a trusted partner for organisations seeking to build cyber resilience and incident readiness.

1. A Mark of Excellence and Operational Confidence
   This assurance confirms that Unit 42 follows a structured, methodical and efficient incident response process, benchmarked against government-verified and industry best practices. For organisations, this means confidence not only in how we handle critical incidents but also in our ability to support legal, compliance and regulatory obligations along the way.
   
   
2. An Unmatched Customer Experience
   Unit 42 combines global threat intelligence with world-class investigation expertise and industry-leading technology platforms to deliver outcomes that matter. With a flexible retainer service that is tailored to match the client’s requirements, Unit 42 has been recognised for its focus on customer experience and being a strategic partner in evolving to have more robust security.
   
   
3. Outcomes that Drive Transformation and Resilience
   Unit 42 doesn’t stop at containing threats. We provide actionable recommendations to harden defenses, close gaps and increase resilience against future attacks. Our approach consistently delivers faster containment to minimise impact while identifying root causes and lessons learned, to help clients transform their cyber posture and forge resiliency to mitigate other security risks.
   
   
4. Impact that Lasts Beyond the Incident
   Every engagement with Unit 42 is designed to give clients clarity, confidence and control. We work in transparent partnership with our clients security teams to reduce dwell times, limit the operational impact of the attack, and ensure that attackers are fully removed. Most importantly, our clients gain the confidence that they are working with a partner whose government-assured expertise has not only been tested against the most exacting standards in the industry, but also against the most sophisticated threat actors out there.

What This Means for Customers

For our customers, the benefits are tangible:

• Confidence that their provider meets the highest government assurances possible.
• Outcomes that go beyond containment – clients emerge more resilient with clear guidance on how to harden defenses. 
• Faster recovery and reduced consequence means the impact of the attack is limited. 
• Flexible retainer model allows customers to compliment IR with proactive services as required.

 

A Trusted Partner in Cybersecurity

At Palo Alto Networks, our mission is to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life. This is accomplished, in part, by helping organisations prevent, detect and respond to the most complex cyber threats. With the NCSC Enhanced Level CIR assurance, Unit 42 stands among a select group of providers recognised for delivering the highest standards of expertise and trust.

But this new assurance is only part of the story. Combined with recent accolades from IDC as a leader in its Worldwide Incident Response Marketscape and Forrester in their Wave for Incident Response Services, Unit 42 stands as a global strategic IR partner you can trust to help you stay cyber ready, safe and resilient.

Visit our Unit 42 website to discover how we can empower your organization with comprehensive cybersecurity solutions.