Merger & Acquisition Diligence.
Security and Privacy Services for Acquiring and Selling Parties
Overview:
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) require careful
due diligence to assess not only financial and operational risks but also cybersecurity
and privacy risks. Digital Assurance Advisors (DAA) plays a critical role in ensuring that
the target company’s systems, processes, and data management frameworks are secure,
compliant, and resilient. Our robust security and privacy offering provides the necessary
expertise to safeguard both parties' digital assets, mitigate risks, and ensure regulatory
compliance throughout the M&A process.
Our M&A Security and Privacy Offering focuses on delivering comprehensive services that
protect sensitive data, align with legal and regulatory requirements, and streamline
integration processes to foster long-term organizational resilience.
Click here to contact us today for a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation unique to your strategic M&A plan.
Key Offerings:
1. Pre-Transaction Security and Privacy Due Diligence
o Cybersecurity Risk Assessment: Evaluate the target company's cybersecurity posture, including network security, data protection, threat detection, incident response, and overall risk management framework.
o Data Privacy and Compliance Audit: Conduct a comprehensive review of the target’s data privacy practices and regulatory compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other applicable regulations to identify potential liabilities.
o Intellectual Property Protection: Review intellectual property protections, including proprietary software, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, to ensure the safeguarding of critical digital assets.
o Third-Party and Vendor Risk Assessment: Evaluate the security practices of third-party vendors and partners who may have access to sensitive data or critical systems to identify any potential weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
o Incident History Review: Analyze the target’s history of data breaches, cyberattacks, and other security incidents to assess how effectively previous issues were addressed and if additional risks still exist.
2. M&A Integration Security and Privacy Planning
o Post-Transaction Security Strategy: Develop a strategic security framework for the post-acquisition integration phase, outlining best practices, technology implementations, and risk mitigation efforts.
o Data Integration and Migration Security: Plan and execute secure data migration strategies, ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and compliance of sensitive data throughout the integration process.
o Security and Privacy Harmonization: Align security frameworks and privacy policies between the acquiring and target companies, ensuring compatibility, streamlining policies, and ensuring consistent protection across merged operations.
o Incident Response and Continuity Planning: Review and enhance the incident response plans for both parties to ensure readiness in case of future security incidents during the integration phase.
3. Post-Transaction Security Monitoring and Reporting
o Ongoing Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to ensure that the integrated entity adheres to best practices, regulatory requirements, and security standards.
o Privacy Compliance Monitoring: Continuously monitor data privacy compliance post-merger, identifying areas for improvement in data handling, processing, and protection practices to meet evolving regulations.
o Employee Training and Awareness: Provide training programs to both the acquiring and target company employees on new security practices, data privacy regulations, and compliance requirements.
o Security Incident and Breach Management: Support the unified organization in responding to security incidents or breaches post-merger, ensuring legal, regulatory, and reputational impacts are minimized.
4. Regulatory Compliance and Reporting
o Privacy and Data Protection Regulatory Review: Assess compliance with all applicable data protection laws and standards such as GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and industry-specific regulations, ensuring that all digital assets are handled in a legally compliant manner.
o Government and Industry Certifications: Guide the newly merged entity in obtaining necessary security certifications (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS) to demonstrate commitment to security and privacy in its operations.
o Regulatory Liaison: Act as a liaison between the organization and regulatory bodies during the merger process, ensuring that all compliance and privacy requirements are satisfied.
5. Privacy-by-Design and Security-by-Design for Future Systems
o Future-Proofing Security Practices: Build security and privacy considerations into the digital transformation roadmap of the merged company, focusing on sustainable security practices and privacy-first approaches for future systems.
o Cloud and Data Center Security: Guide cloud and on-premise infrastructure integration with a focus on strong encryption, secure access controls, and robust monitoring capabilities to protect the company’s digital assets.
6. Risk Mitigation and Continuous Improvement
o Cybersecurity Insurance and Risk Financing: Advise on cybersecurity insurance and risk financing to mitigate the financial impacts of potential security breaches or compliance failures.
o Security and Privacy Risk Metrics: Develop and implement metrics to measure the effectiveness of security and privacy initiatives, ensuring continuous improvement in risk management processes.
o Change Management Support: Assist with organizational change management related to security policies and privacy programs to ensure smooth transitions and consistent risk management practices.
Why Choose Our M&A Security and Privacy Offering?
• Expertise in M&A Security and Privacy: Our team of experienced Advisors at Digital Assurance specializes in identifying and addressing the unique security and privacy challenges posed by mergers and acquisitions.
• Holistic Risk Management: We provide a comprehensive approach to risk assessment, due diligence, integration, and post-merger monitoring, ensuring a secure and seamless transition.
• Regulatory Compliance Focus: We help ensure that your M&A transaction is compliant with relevant cybersecurity and privacy regulations, reducing the risk of costly fines, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.
• Tailored Solutions: Every M&A transaction is unique. We offer customized security and privacy strategies based on the specific needs and goals of the merging organizations.
Synopsis ...
In today's digital world, a successful merger or acquisition extends beyond financial and operational factors to encompass the cybersecurity and privacy frameworks that protect an organization’s data and assets. Our comprehensive M&A Security and Privacy Offering helps ensure that both the acquiring and target companies maintain robust security measures, meet compliance requirements, and create a resilient, future-ready organization post-merger.
By partnering with us, Digital Assurance Advisors can confidently guide clients through the complexities of M&A transactions, reducing risk and optimizing security and privacy during every stage of the process.
Contact Digital Assurance Advisors to explore your M&A Plan today. Click here to schedule your Free initial consultation.
Learn more about your Advisors who are ready to help you ...
Thomas Schleppenbach
Jeff Silbaugh
Brian Kunick
Dave Woodward
Joe Chrnelich
