Merger and Acquisition Security Assessments

In mergers and acquisitions, cybersecurity due diligence is essential for both the acquirer and the organization looking to be acquired. Griffin Cybersecurity provides specialized M&A security assessments that uncover hidden cyber risks and help all parties understand the potential liabilities involved. For acquiring companies, our assessment ensures that any hidden cybersecurity vulnerabilities are identified before finalizing the transaction. For companies looking to be acquired, a proactive cybersecurity assessment demonstrates a commitment to strong security practices, which can add value to the acquisition deal.

Two Paths to Cybersecurity Due Diligence:

• For Acquirers: Evaluate the target organization’s cybersecurity posture to identify potential vulnerabilities, liabilities, and data protection issues before finalizing the acquisition.
• For Organizations Seeking Acquisition: Conduct a proactive cybersecurity assessment to showcase robust security practices and improve attractiveness to potential buyers.

Griffin Cybersecurity’s Merger and Acquisition Security Assessments provide a thorough review and evaluation of the target organization’s cybersecurity and privacy risks, ensuring potential vulnerabilities are uncovered before the deal closes.

Risk Assessment and Rating
Our cybersecurity due diligence assigns a risk rating to the target organization, evaluating factors such as cyber hygiene, privacy practices, and potential vulnerabilities. This rating gives decision-makers a clear view of the risks involved, supporting data-driven decisions throughout the M&A process.

Comprehensive Cybersecurity and Privacy Evaluation
We conduct a full cybersecurity and privacy assessment on the target organization, typically completed in 2 to 6 weeks, depending on complexity and scale. Our evaluation covers data protection measures, infrastructure vulnerabilities, compliance with industry regulations, and other critical areas to ensure that cybersecurity is integrated into the M&A process.

Customized M&A Due Diligence Process
Our M&A cybersecurity assessments are designed specifically for merger and acquisition contexts, focusing on risks that could impact the transaction’s success. By prioritizing vulnerabilities relevant to integration and long-term stability, our approach protects both acquiring companies and targets from unforeseen cybersecurity challenges.

Businesses today face a myriad of cybersecurity challenges that can have severe repercussions, including financial losses, legal penalties, and damage to your brand’s reputation.

Acquired companies may have hidden vulnerabilities or past breaches that have not been fully remediated, posing significant risks to the acquiring organization.

Merging organizations often have different regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare, PCI-DSS for finance), and failure to meet these standards can result in costly penalties post-acquisition.

Inadequate data privacy measures can expose sensitive information, putting customer trust and regulatory compliance at risk, especially if the acquired company lacks robust data protection.

Unmonitored insider threats and outdated legacy systems in the acquired company can compromise security, making it crucial to assess these risks before finalizing the transaction.

Organizations without strong incident response or disaster recovery plans increase the risk of prolonged downtime and data loss in case of a cyber incident post-merger.

Differences in security policies and protocols can create integration challenges, leaving gaps in defenses and exposing the combined entity to potential cyber threats.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the cyber risk landscape for the target organization, enabling informed decisions and preventing unexpected security issues post-transaction.

For acquirers, cybersecurity due diligence can reveal negotiation leverage. For companies seeking acquisition, demonstrating strong cybersecurity practices can increase value and appeal to potential buyers.

Ensure that the target organization meets all industry-specific regulations and data privacy standards, reducing the risk of compliance issues or penalties after the acquisition.

Griffin Cybersecurity specializes in providing tailored security assessments for various industries, including:

Our healthcare M&A cybersecurity assessments evaluate HIPAA compliance, patient data protection, and EHR system security to prevent data breaches and regulatory issues post-acquisition.

For financial institutions, we assess data protection practices, fraud prevention, and regulatory adherence, such as PCI-DSS and GLBA, ensuring safe handling of sensitive financial data

In the automotive sector, our M&A services focus on customer data protection, securing dealership management systems, and ensuring compliance with data privacy laws.

Our manufacturing assessments focus on protecting intellectual property, securing industrial control systems, and preventing disruptions that could impact production timelines.

For construction firms, we evaluate project data security, IT infrastructure vulnerabilities, and protection of proprietary designs to ensure a smooth and risk-free transition.

We offer tailored M&A cybersecurity services for various industries, addressing unique compliance requirements and cyber risks to ensure a secure acquisition process.

Our team consists of certified cybersecurity professionals with extensive experience in the field. Our certifications include CISSP, CEH, and CISA, among others.