12 Jul Mergers And Acquisitions: The Cybersecurity Method
Former White House CIO offers three tips for this transitional period
– Steven T. Kroll
Northport, N.Y. – Jul. 12, 2019
Theresa Payton is a globetrotting cybersecurity CEO, author, keynote speaker, and actress. Her company, Fortalice Solutions — a cybersecurity intelligence and operations provider — has been on the front lines of hundreds of incident responses.
This week, Theresa shares her insights about understanding cybersecurity in mergers and acquisitions. Whether you work for a company that’s getting acquired or one that merges with others, cybersecurity must be an essential aspect of the negotiations. Theresa’s tips come from on-the-ground experience with multiple M&As.
First, insider threats — malicious or negligent — remain a constant risk for cybersecurity professionals. Because of this, it’s important to ensure that a program is in effect which addresses the real dangers of human errors. Not having one is a big red flag.
Proper cybersecurity requires regular maintenance and constant monitoring to stay up-to-date with the latest attacks. Theresa recommends asking the company the last time they had ethical hackers review their networks and then to look at those results. In this way, you know if there is a dedicated security posture in place or if you have to create one.
And lastly, before you start connecting data, networks, and devices, make sure you do a full governance review and understand what you’re getting into. Don’t just assume that companies are doing the right thing with cybersecurity. Be proactive and take these steps.
Watch Theresa’s short video to learn more. Your merger and acquisition will run smoothly if you follow her advice.
Stay tuned for more cyber lessons from Theresa! Until next time, be safe out there.
– Steven T. Kroll is a public relations specialist and staff writer at Cybercrime Magazine.
