Secure Business M&A with Software for Secure Business M&A

As mergers and purchases (M&As) increase across the globe cybersecurity is more crucial than ever. If sensitive information is accidentally divulged during M&A due-diligence or in post-M&A processes, the risks are high.

The good news is the right software can assist M&A CISOs in ensuring integrity of data, keeping compliance, and protecting against the risks associated with M&A activities. This includes the right data room software that integrates various digital tools into a single platform that is easy to use with uploads of files and a single sign-on. It also offers extensive auditing and reporting options that aids compliance teams in maintaining the control over their information and prevent accidental disclosure.

Virtual data rooms are an ideal tool for managing the M&A processes, from due diligence to post-M&A activities and integration. VDRs permit authorized users to quickly review and share comments on sensitive documents with no risk of leakage. They also provide the ability to create activity reports that reveal who has accessed and read specific pages of documents. These reports can deter criminals from leaking information, since they can be traced back to specific users. These reports also let M&A CISOs to evaluate the level of interest from potential buyers or investors.

Many M&A deals are dependent on the value of intellectual property. Virtual data rooms are used by life science companies to handle everything from clinical trial results to HIPAA compliance, to licensing IP and storage of patient data. When it comes to M&A due diligence, it is normal for companies to to supply and review a large amount of documents. This can be a very lengthy and labor-intensive process for both the company being purchased and the acquirer. A VDR can be used to efficiently share all this information via an secure platform.

M&A is a complicated business process that could pose significant security risks, regardless of the industry. During the integration and operations phases of the M&A cycle the data room solutions M&A team must understand the potential threats from cybercriminals and their competitors. These risks may include malware, unauthorized access to systems and networks as well as sabotage and other types of disruption that could undermine the M&A value proposition.

With the right M&A-focused cybersecurity solutions in place M&A can be a profitable and rewarding business experience. M&A provides businesses with an excellent opportunity to expand their footprint and create value. To ensure that this value is not compromised, a focused cybersecurity strategy must be in place prior to when transactions are initiated. For more information, download 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 that helps to make cybersecurity possible through M&A. It gives visibility, cuts through the complexity heterogeneous security stacks, and manages risk and uncertainty to help your company achieve its goals.