A platform outage can be every SaaS provider’s worst nightmare, especially when it strikes without warning. For a US-based real estate SaaS provider, a sudden event brought operations to a halt, encrypting Asure servers and removing all functionality for customers.
With CFC’s technology insurance in place, our response team was deployed within minutes. From technical triage and forensics to containment and a communications strategy with the support from the assigned claims adjuster, this is how the policy helped the business bounce back – minimizing downtime, safeguarding reputations and avoiding a costly business interruption loss.
The incident: Platform-wide outage impacts customers
The incident began in the early hours of the morning, when the real estate SaaS platform suffered an event which shut down operations in a flash. Serving a global customer base, the SaaS provider quickly became aware of the issue. 70 servers in its Azure environment had been encrypted, rendering the platform entirely unusable. Customers across the globe suddenly had no access, and the business had no visibility into the root cause. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as it urgently needed technical guidance to restore service and protect client data during a critical business period.
Fortunately, the provider held a technology policy with CFC and quickly notified our team. Our response team responds to global incidents in 30 minutes or less, and on this occasion triaged the incident and got on the phone with the business within six minutes. A Microsoft Teams call with the insured’s technical leads and CFC’s forensic team followed, moving quickly to assess recovery options. Despite limited monitoring tools, CFC helped coordinate the secure deployment of backup recovery tools in a new Azure environment.
How the policy responds: Instant technical response and legal support
Within minutes of notification, our in-house incident response team was actively managing the crisis. Unlike traditional insurers that rely on third-party providers – often delayed by paperwork and stretched resources – CFC mobilized its own technical and legal experts to support the client from the outset.
A critical part of the response involved deploying forensic tooling into a new Azure environment to safely scan and restore backups – minimizing risk while maximizing recovery speed. The assigned claims adjuster also worked closely with panel partners and the client to shape an effective resolution strategy involving guidance through the coverage and recovery processes and a communications strategy, helping them manage regulatory considerations and explain the disruption without disclosing the full nature of the cyber incident.
The outcome: Back online quickly while minimizing financial loss
With services restored in just eight hours, the SaaS provider avoided reputational harm and maintained customer trust. Crucially, the incident was handled without draining company resources, protecting cash flow and shielding the business’s balance sheet from what could have been a costly blow. By acting quickly our rapid, in-house response helped reduce the likelihood of data loss and avoid a prolonged outage.
Learn more about how CFC’s technology policy protects SaaS providers from new and emerging risks by contacting our team.
