Independent technical practice

Cyber Due Diligence

Know the cyber risk before the deal closes, in terms a deal committee can use.

Diligence records beside a laptop and notepad.

Who we serve

  • Private Equity
  • M&A Attorneys
  • Investment Groups
  • Corporate Development
  • Lenders

Scope

Deliverables

  • Security Maturity Review

    What the target actually operates, versus what the data room claims.

  • Past Breach Review

    Prior incidents, disclosure history and unresolved exposure.

  • Dark Web Exposure Review

    Leaked credentials, exposed data and chatter tied to the target.

  • Regulatory Risk Review

    Obligations, notifications and liabilities the buyer will inherit.

  • Third-Party Risk Review

    Vendor and supply-chain dependencies that transfer with the entity.

  • Executive Summary

    A two-page finding a deal committee can read before the vote.

Fixed-fee engagement structure: the cost is known before the work starts, whatever the deal does next.

Methodology

How the engagement runs

  1. Scope

    Deal timeline first. We work to the close date, not the other way round.

  2. Collect

    Data-room review, external reconnaissance and management interviews.

  3. Assess

    Findings mapped to deal impact: price, indemnity, remediation cost, or walk.

  4. Report

    Executive summary plus a technical appendix for the integration team.

  5. Brief the deal team

    A working session with counsel and the sponsor before signing.

What counsel receives

A file another examiner could pick up.

Each diligence conclusion is tied to the material reviewed, the people interviewed and any validation completed within the deal window.

The deal team receives technical facts and stated assumptions. Legal treatment and transaction terms remain with counsel.

  • Scope letter and stated assumptionsWhat was asked, what was examined, what was out of scope, and the assumptions the analysis rests on.
  • Evidence handling recordAcquisition details, hash values, storage and transfer, and a chain-of-custody log for each item.
  • Methodology statementTools, versions and procedures described so a second qualified examiner can repeat the work.
  • Findings, separated from interpretationObserved facts first; expert opinion identified as opinion, with the basis for each conclusion.
  • Limitations and unresolved questionsWhat the evidence cannot show, what was unavailable, and what further work would be required.
  • Exhibits and supporting materialExtracted artifacts, timelines and schedules in a form that can be attached to a filing or a board pack.
  • Deal-usable summaryFindings mapped to representations, warranties, remediation cost and post-close conditions for the deal team.

Proof

Pre-acquisition review, mid-market software target

Diligence surfaced an unreported intrusion at the target and a set of exposed credentials still in active use. The findings were quantified as remediation cost and inherited notification exposure, and were used in the final negotiation of price and indemnity.

Credentials & standards

  • Fixed-fee scoping, known before work begins
  • Delivery inside the diligence window
  • Engagements structurable through outside counsel
  • Findings expressed in deal terms, not CVSS scores

Related

Related services

Frequently asked

Common questions

How fast can you turn a review around?

Standard reviews run inside the diligence window. Expedited scopes are available when the timeline is compressed; we agree the delivery date against the close date at scoping.

Do you work through counsel?

Frequently. Engagements can be structured through outside counsel where privilege matters, and the reporting is built with that structure in mind from the start.

What if the deal dies?

Fixed-fee scoping means the cost is known upfront regardless of outcome. Findings on a dead deal remain useful. Several clients have reused the assessment when the target came back to market.

Talk with an examiner

Discuss the matter and the next step.

Call to discuss timing, scope and the safest way to share information. Do not send evidence or credentials by email.

24/7 hotline: 1-800-868-8189

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