Incident response and digital forensics · on site in Abu Dhabi
Digital Forensics & Incident Response in Abu Dhabi
Intello’s incident response team helps Abu Dhabi organisations stop a cyber attack, find out exactly what happened and get back to normal. We contain ransomware, email fraud and data theft, collect forensic evidence that stands up to scrutiny, and help you meet your reporting duties.
- On site in Abu Dhabi
- Forensic chain of custody
- 500+ clients
What is digital forensics and incident response (DFIR)?
Incident response is how you stop a cyber attack and recover from it: contain, remove the attacker, restore systems and learn from it. Digital forensics is the investigation that runs alongside: collecting and analysing evidence to show how the attacker got in, what they touched and what data was taken. Together they are known as DFIR.
| Typical incidents | Ransomware, business email compromise and payment fraud, data theft and extortion, account takeover, insider misuse |
|---|---|
| What we analyse | Laptops and servers, memory, network traffic, firewall and VPN logs, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, cloud platforms and mobile devices |
| Response method | Aligned to NIST SP 800-61 Revision 3 (April 2025) |
| Evidence handling | Collected and preserved in line with ISO/IEC 27037, with chain-of-custody records for every item |
| Reporting duties | Depend on your sector, for example the UAE PDPL, ADGM rules, DoH for healthcare and Central Bank rules for banks |
| Where we work | Digital forensics in Abu Dhabi is done on site, with remote evidence collection where it is faster |
Incident response across Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, an incident is rarely only a technical problem. Regulators, clients and government partners may need to be told, and the evidence must hold up. We plan for both from the first hour.
Healthcare
DoH-licensed hospitals and clinics, where patient safety comes first and ADHICS sets incident duties.
ADGM firms
Financial firms whose regulators and data protection rules require prompt incident handling and notification. See ADGM compliance.
Federal entities and suppliers
Organisations working to the UAE IA Standard, which includes incident management and reporting.
Energy and industry
Oil and gas, utilities and manufacturers in KEZAD and Mussafah, where an attack can stop production.
Banks and finance
Institutions licensed by the Central Bank, facing fraud and account takeover. See CBUAE compliance.
Mid-sized companies
Businesses hit by email fraud or ransomware with no in-house security team.
Also available: DFIR across the UAE · Cyber security company in Abu Dhabi · Incident response in Sharjah
When to call for incident response in Abu Dhabi
Call us straight away if any of these are happening:
- Files are encrypted or a ransom note has appeared
- A supplier or client was tricked into paying a fake invoice from your email
- Someone has accessed mailboxes, cloud accounts or systems they should not
- Data has been stolen, or an attacker is threatening to publish it
- Security tools show suspicious activity you cannot explain
- You need a forensic investigation for HR, legal or insurance purposes
In the first hour: do not switch off or wipe affected machines, do not pay or reply to the attacker, and keep a note of what you saw and when. Then call us. Turning machines off can destroy evidence held in memory.
What our incident response in Abu Dhabi covers
Each engagement follows the same phases, so nothing is missed under pressure.
Triage and containment
Understand what is happening, isolate affected systems and accounts, and stop the attack spreading.
Forensic evidence collection
Disk, memory, log and cloud evidence collected on site or remotely, with chain-of-custody records.
Investigation
How the attacker got in, what they did, how long they were inside and what data they accessed or took.
Eradication
Remove the attacker’s access, backdoors and malware, and close the entry point.
Ransomware recovery
Safe restoration from clean backups, rebuilding systems and verifying they are clean before reconnecting.
Email and cloud compromise
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace investigations, mailbox rules, fraudulent payments and account takeover.
Reporting support
Help deciding who must be told (regulators, clients, data subjects, insurers) and evidence to support it.
Lessons learned
A clear report and a list of fixes, so the same attack does not work twice.
How our incident response team works in Abu Dhabi
A structured response, aligned to NIST, from the first call to the final report.
- 1
First call
We take the facts, give you first-hour instructions and agree the scope and authority to act.
Phase 1
- 2
Triage
Remote or on-site assessment of what is affected, how far it has spread and what to contain first.
Phase 2
- 3
Containment
Isolate systems and accounts, block the attacker’s access and stop data leaving.
Phase 3
- 4
Forensic investigation
Evidence collected and analysed to establish the entry point, timeline and impact.
Days
- 5
Eradication and recovery
Attacker removed, systems restored from clean backups and monitored for signs of return.
Days to weeks
- 6
Report and lessons learned
An executive summary, a technical report with evidence, and a prioritised list of fixes.
At the end
For an active incident, call +971 55 355 6787 rather than using the form.
What you get
- Clear first-hour instructions on the first call
- Containment of the attack and removal of the attacker
- Forensic evidence with chain-of-custody records
- Timeline of the attack: entry point, actions and data accessed
- Support deciding and preparing regulator and client notifications
- Executive summary for management and the board
- Technical report with evidence for IT, legal and insurers
- Prioritised fixes to prevent a repeat
Choose how we work with you
Emergency incident response
ImmediateBest for: An attack happening now
- · Triage and containment
- · Forensic investigation
- · Recovery and report
Incident response retainer
YearlyBest for: Being ready before it happens
- · Pre-agreed terms and contacts
- · Incident response plan review
- · Tabletop exercise
Compromise assessment
1–3 weeksBest for: Suspecting an attacker is already inside
- · Threat hunting
- · Forensic review of key systems
- · Findings and fixes
Need incident response in Abu Dhabi right now?
Call +971 55 355 6787. For a retainer or a planned investigation, leave your details and we will call you back.
Who may need to be told after an incident in Abu Dhabi?
Reporting duties depend on your sector and licence. We help you decide who must be told, and when.
| If you are… | You may need to notify | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Any organisation holding personal data | The data protection regulator and affected individuals | The UAE PDPL, or the ADGM regulations in ADGM |
| A DoH-licensed healthcare entity | The Department of Health | ADHICS and DoH requirements |
| A federal entity or critical infrastructure | The national cyber authorities | The UAE IA Standard |
| A bank or finance company | The Central Bank of the UAE | CBUAE requirements |
| A victim of fraud or extortion | The police | UAE cybercrime law |
What affects the cost of digital forensics in Abu Dhabi
Emergency work is billed for the time used; retainers and assessments have a fixed fee. These are the factors that move it:
- Scale of the incident
- How many systems, users and sites are affected.
- Type of attack
- Ransomware and data theft take longer than a single compromised mailbox.
- On-site time
- How much of the work must be done at your Abu Dhabi premises.
- Evidence needs
- Investigations for legal or insurance purposes need more formal evidence handling.
- Recovery work
- Whether we also rebuild and restore systems, or your IT team does.
- Retainer
- Clients with a retainer get pre-agreed terms, which makes an incident faster and cheaper to handle.
Why organisations choose Intello for digital forensics in Abu Dhabi
23+
years in UAE cybersecurity
500+
clients served
99%
client satisfaction
On site when it matters. Our team comes to your Abu Dhabi premises for containment and evidence collection.
Evidence that holds up. Forensic collection in line with ISO/IEC 27037, with chain-of-custody records.
Regulation-aware. We know the reporting duties under the PDPL, ADGM, ADHICS, UAE IA and CBUAE rules.
Fix the cause. We close the entry point and help you harden systems, so the same attack does not succeed twice.
Frequently asked questions
What should we do first if we are hit by ransomware in Abu Dhabi?
Disconnect affected machines from the network but do not switch them off or wipe them, because that can destroy evidence. Do not pay or contact the attacker. Note what you saw and when, then call an incident response team. We give you first-hour instructions on the first call.
Do you offer ransomware recovery in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. We contain the attack, find how the attacker got in, remove their access and help restore systems from clean backups, checking that nothing is reinfected. Where backups are missing or damaged, we help you assess the options.
Can you come on site in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Our team works on site at your Abu Dhabi premises for containment, evidence collection and recovery. Some evidence, such as Microsoft 365 logs, is collected remotely because it is faster.
What is the difference between digital forensics and incident response?
Incident response stops the attack and restores your systems. Digital forensics investigates what happened and collects evidence. In practice they run together, which is why they are often called DFIR.
Do we have to report a cyber incident in Abu Dhabi?
It depends on your sector and licence. Personal data breaches may need to be reported under the UAE PDPL or the ADGM regulations, healthcare entities report to the Department of Health, and banks to the Central Bank. Fraud and extortion should be reported to the police. We help you decide.
What is a cyber forensics investigation used for?
To establish the facts: how an attacker got in, what they did and what data they took. Cyber forensics in Abu Dhabi is also used for HR cases, insider misuse, legal disputes and insurance claims, where evidence must be handled properly.
What is an incident response retainer?
A yearly agreement with pre-agreed terms, contacts and scope, so there is no contract or scope to agree in the middle of an incident. It usually includes a review of your incident response plan and a tabletop exercise. See incident response planning.
Related services
Get incident response help in Abu Dhabi
Under attack now? Call +971 55 355 6787. Otherwise, leave your details for a retainer, an investigation or a compromise assessment.
What happens next
- 1We get in touch to arrange a call
- 2A short call to scope the incident or retainer
- 3A written scope and terms
Prefer to talk now? Call +971 55 355 6787