The leading cyber due diligence risks with M&A transactions include:
Cyber security incidents:
A potential acquisition could have a known (or unknown) incident that could lead to reputational damage, regulatory fines, and financial losses for the eventual investor.
Regulatory non-compliance:
The growth of cyber security, data protection, and wider technology focused regulations has significantly increased the risk of future fines, penalties, and reputational damage.
Inadequate controls or cyber security debt:
Considering the future aspirations for the organisation, existing controls may be insufficient, exposing the investor to excessive risk, or costs associated with building a suitable cyber security capability.
Unknown security vulnerabilities:
The acquired company may be exposed to unpatched software, misconfigured systems, or undiscovered malware, which can put the combined company's data and systems at risk.
Insider threats and supply chain risks:
Disgruntled employees and contractors, or third-party supplier/vendor risks could compromise the combined company's data and systems.
Who We Help
Our cyber due diligence services support private equity firms, corporate M&A teams, and legal advisers. Particularly those who require expert business focused cyber service assessments within the strict confines of deal timelines. Our experienced team provides specialised expertise to protect investment value during the following activities:
Core Services
Our cyber due diligence services are built on threat intelligence and deep industry expertise, designed to identify risks throughout the transaction lifecycle, providing robust, time-sensitive solutions that adapt to each deal's unique requirements.
Pre-deal cyber security assessment and risk identification.
Technology landscape and integration planning.
Threat hunting and compromise assessment.
Post-acquisition cyber security roadmap development.
Transition service agreement (TSA) support and planning.
Carve-out security strategy and implementation.
Deal value protection and risk quantification.
Regulatory compliance assessment.
Service Integration
Our approach to service integration focuses on becoming an extension of your deal team by offering:
Seamless integration with existing due diligence workstreams.
Flexible delivery models adaptable to deal timelines and constraints.
Regular reporting aligned with deal milestones.
Risk-based prioritisation of findings and recommendations.
Integration of threat intelligence and regulatory context.
Documentation supporting deal negotiations and terms.
Through our partnership, you'll gain access to:
1. Rapid deployment of experienced cyber M&A specialists.
2. Intelligence-led assessment methodologies.
3. Practical, business-focused recommendations.
4. Proven experience across multiple industries and deal types.
5. Comprehensive view across technology and security domains.
6. Support throughout the entire transaction lifecycle.
Why Choose Us?
Our cyber due diligence services combine transaction-tested expertise with deep cyber security knowledge, enabling us to deliver insights that protect deal value and support successful integration. We pride ourselves on being the trusted partner that helps transaction teams navigate complex cyber risks, providing timely assessments and actionable recommendations while respecting the pace and constraints of deal processes.
Our deep expertise in M&A cyber security is rooted in proven experience across energy, financial services, technology, and logistics.
We operate at the pace demanded by transaction timelines, delivering comprehensive assessments that support informed decision-making.
Our approach combines technical expertise with business context to provide actionable insights that protect deal value.
Case Studies
Industry: Energy, Utilities and Mining
Services: Cyber security M&A, cyber consulting, cyber strategy
We supported a leading European energy provider with advice and analysis for planning the divestment of their wholesale utility business. A key challenge was the absence of a formal divestment strategy with an established carve-out perimeter for the standalone business.
Working alongside financial planners, we provided technical support and insights for positioning the standalone entity. Our work involved:
Comprehensive asset assessment at critical stages during deal and acquisition phases.
Established processes, procedures and reporting frameworks.
Methodology adaptable to different acquisition sizes while maintaining consistency.
Timely information delivery to deal teams regarding factors affecting transaction price and value.
Creating financial models for system decoupling and capability building
Developing detailed "as-is" documentation and multiple "to-be" scenarios based on threat landscape and regulatory requirements
The work significantly supported the sale and enhanced transaction value by providing costed estimations and detailed analysis for implementation timelines, effort requirements, and desired end states.
Industry: Technology, Media and Telecommunications
Services: Cyber consulting, cyber M&A, cyber strategy, proactive security
We developed a comprehensive cyber due diligence framework for a technology conglomerate with an aggressive acquisition strategy. Working with senior cyber security and technology leaders, our approach aligned with their deals process and met requirements across multiple stakeholder teams and functions.
Our framework provided:
- Comprehensive asset assessment at critical stages during deal and acquisition phases.
- Established processes, procedures and reporting frameworks.
- Methodology adaptable to different acquisition sizes while maintaining consistency.
- Timely information delivery to deal teams regarding factors affecting transaction price and value.
Over twenty engagements, our team delivered consistent, actionable cyber risk insights that supported informed decision-making throughout the acquisition process.
Industry: Financial Services
Services: Cyber consulting, cyber M&A, threat hunting, proactive security, cyber strategy
A leading international merchant bank identified concerns around technology management and potential compromise within an investment target. Operating within tight enhanced due diligence timelines, our multi-disciplined team of cyber security M&A practitioners and threat intelligence specialists implemented a two-pronged approach:
External data analysis to identify indicators of compromise and potentially exposed data from historic breaches.
Deployment of endpoint detection and response technology for forensic examination informed by threat actor behaviour analysis.
Our daily client updates and status reports revealed poor IT hygiene practices, significant technical debt, and inadequate cyber security leadership. These findings contributed to the decision to halt the transaction due to elevated compromise risk, protecting our client from a potentially costly investment mistake.
Industry: Logistics
Services: Cyber consulting, cyber M&A, cyber strategy, proactive security
During a live acquisition, our team was tasked with reviewing an organisation's response to a security incident to establish potential financial impact and response adequacy. Working with M&A lawyers as an independent party, we:
Provided best practice advice on incident response and digital forensics.
Interviewed the technical response team and target IT function.
Conducted an independent investigation to establish breach scale and implications.
Applied risk-based scoring methodology based on regulatory impact to affected parties. Our client gained confidence in understanding the "blast radius" of the incident and took protective steps including placing funds in escrow, incorporating our drafted terms in the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA), and implementing additional risk reduction measures.
Get in touch
We understand that protecting your business from evolving cyber threats is crucial for your success. Whether you need expert advice, a tailored cyber security solution, or immediate support, we’re here to help. Please complete the form below and one of our dedicated professionals will get in touch.
