Essential for M&A operations: Security consultations
In today's fast-paced business environment, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a common strategy for organizations seeking quick workforce and service expansion. However, these activities can pose significant risks if proper cybersecurity measures are not in place. This is where Attack Surface Management (ASM) comes into play.
ASM is a critical tool for M&A activities, providing a comprehensive inventory of an enterprise's digital assets before, during, and after the M&A process. By discovering all digital assets, including domains, subdomains, SSL certificates, cloud infrastructure, APIs, and shadow IT, ASM ensures that no hidden vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are overlooked within the acquired company.
Moreover, ASM tools can detect vulnerabilities and misconfigurations such as exploitable weaknesses, open ports, expired certificates, and compromised credentials across both organizations’ cyber perimeters. This early detection can reveal inherited security risks within minutes, aiding in accurate valuation and decision-making during the M&A process.
ASM also supports filtering and segmentation of assets by business unit or subsidiary, making large and complex M&A evaluations more manageable and efficient. Additionally, it prioritizes risks by severity, helping security teams address critical issues quickly and reduce time to remediation, lowering the potential for cyberattacks post-acquisition.
Full visibility into the security of all moving parts is crucial for minimizing blind spots during the M&A process. Without it, organizations may be unaware of old, deprecated, or complicated information that might be sitting on the internet, posing a significant risk. In fact, lack of IT visibility during M&A processes has led to data breaches and ransomware incidents in the past.
It's important to note that cybersecurity compliance checks during M&A processes are not sufficient, as they do not provide a complete view of the attack surface. In many cases, 30-40% of an organization's internet-connected assets are previously undiscovered, creating opportunities for attackers.
After the acquisition takes place, continuous tracking is necessary to ensure assets are being integrated securely. Cybersecurity is often overlooked during M&A processes, leaving organizations unaware of the IT assets they are inheriting from the other company. Proper security compliance checks, conducted by security professionals, add length to the deal process but are needed long-term for a resilient business continuity.
In conclusion, ASM serves as a critical due diligence and ongoing security tool in M&A, reducing cyber risk, informing integration strategies, and supporting resilient business continuity. By prioritizing an inventory of digital assets and risks through ASM, organizations can successfully tackle M&A activity and ensure a secure future for their merged entity.
- In the process of M&A, Attack Surface Management (ASM) tools are crucial for ensuring that no hidden vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are overlooked within the acquired company.
- ASM tools can detect vulnerabilities such as exploitable weaknesses, open ports, expired certificates, and compromised credentials, revealing potential inherited security risks within minutes.
- After the acquisition, continuous tracking is necessary to ensure assets are being integrated securely, as cybersecurity is often overlooked during M&A processes.
- Proper security compliance checks, conducted by security professionals, are needed long-term for a resilient business continuity, as lack of IT visibility during M&A processes has led to data breaches and ransomware incidents in the past.
