As mergers and acquisitions (M&As) increase across the globe cybersecurity is more critical than ever before. The stakes are very high in the event that confidential information is not knowingly disclosed to bad faith actors during M&A due diligence, or is accidentally revealed in post-M&A integration and operations.
The good news is the appropriate software can aid M&A CIOs in ensuring the integrity of their data, maintaining compliance, and defending against the risks associated M&A activities. This includes the best data room software that combines different digital tools into a single integrated platform, with simple file uploads and single sign-on, and offers comprehensive auditing and reports that aids compliance teams in maintaining control of their data and prevent accidental disclosure.
Virtual data rooms are an excellent method of managing the M&A process from due diligence to post-M&A integration and operations. VDRs permit authorized users to easily review or share and comment on sensitive documents with no risk of leakage. They also permit users to create activity reports that show who has read and accessed specific document pages. These reports can deter people who leak information from being caught since they can be traced back to individuals. These reports also let M&A CISOs assess the level interest from potential investors or buyers.
Many M&A transactions are founded on intellectual property. Life science companies, for example, use virtual data rooms to handle everything from clinical trial results and HIPAA compliance to licensing IP as well as storage of patient files. It is not uncommon for companies to review and provide large volumes of documents in M&A due-diligence. This can be very time-consuming and labor intensive for both the company that is acquired and the acquirer. A VDR lets you share all this information securely and efficiently.
M&A is a complex business process that poses significant security risks, irrespective of the industry. The M&A team needs to understand the potential risk from cybercriminals, competitors and disgruntled employees during the operational and integration phases of the M&A lifecycle. These risks can include malware, unauthorized access to the system or network, sabotage and other disruptions that can affect the value proposition of M&A.
With the right M&A-focused security measures in place M&A can be a lucrative and rewarding business experience. M&A is a huge opportunity for companies to add value and expand their international reach. Before any transaction can be initiated it is essential that an M&A specific cybersecurity strategy must be put in place to ensure the value of the deal is not diminished. For more information read our free guide, Cybersecurity for M&A from the M&A Playbook. Todd Thiemann, director of product marketing at ReliaQuest GreyMatter is a Security Operations Platform which allows cybersecurity to be achieved through M&A. It gives transparency, cuts through the complexity of the various security stacks, and manages risk and uncertainty to help your company reach its goals.