As mergers and purchases (M&As) increase around the world cybersecurity is more critical than ever before. The stakes are high, if confidential information is unwittingly disclosed to bad faith actors during M&A due diligence, or accidentally disclosed during post-M&A integration and operations.
The good news is that the appropriate software can aid M&A CISOs in ensuring integrity of their data, maintaining compliance, and defending against the risks associated M&A activities. The ideal data room software integrates digital tools into one integrated platform that allows for easy uploads of files, single sign-on and complete auditing. This helps compliance teams keep control by making sure that they do not accidentally disclose information.
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 show who has read and accessed specific pages of documents. These reports will deter people who leak information from being caught because they can be traced back to individuals. They also allow M&A CISOs to evaluate the level of interest from potential investors or buyers.
Many M&A deals are founded on the value of intellectual property. Life science companies, for example utilize virtual data rooms to handle everything from clinical trial outcomes and HIPAA compliance to licensing IP as well as storage of patient records. It is not unusual for companies to be required to review and supply massive volumes of documents as part of M&A due-diligence. This can be a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process for both the company being purchased and the buyer. A VDR can be used to efficiently transfer all of this information through an encrypted platform.
M&A is a complicated business process that poses significant security risks, regardless of the industry. During the integration and operations phases of the M&A cycle and beyond, the M&A team must understand the potential risks from cybercriminals and their competitors. These risks include malware, unauthorized network and system access as well as sabotage and other disruptions that can affect the value proposition of M&A.
With the right M&A-focused security solutions in place, M&A can be a lucrative and rewarding business experience. M&A can be a fantastic chance for businesses to increase value and expand their global reach. Before any transaction can take place, a M&A focused cybersecurity strategy must be implemented https://datarooms.in/ to ensure the value of this deal is not compromised. To learn more about this, 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 delivers visibility, cuts through the complexity heterogeneous security stacks, and helps manage risk and uncertainty to help your business achieve its goals.