Episode 86 — Plan Mutual Aid and Retainers: ISACs, Peer Support, and IRR Readiness

This episode teaches how to plan mutual aid and retainers so OT incident response readiness is real, not theoretical, especially when specialized expertise and vendor knowledge may be required quickly. You’ll learn how mutual aid works in practice through sector communities and peer support, and why relationships and pre-defined trust are often more valuable than scrambling for contacts during a crisis. ISAC participation is discussed as a practical channel for timely intelligence, peer lessons learned, and coordinated response support, with an emphasis on how to consume and act on shared information safely in OT environments. Retainers are covered as contractual readiness tools, including defining scope, response timelines, access requirements, evidence handling expectations, and how retained responders coordinate with operations and safety leadership rather than operating like an external IT incident team. IRR readiness is framed as having the right people, contracts, procedures, and approvals in place so help can be activated without delay, while still maintaining governance and safe operational behavior. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.