The M&A Security Playbook: 11 Questions to Master Cybersecurity in Mergers and Acquisitions

When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, every scenario is different – some are relatively straightforward, while others are complex and years in the making. But even in the most elementary among them, due diligence in security and IT practices is essential to ensuring success.

The “cyber delta,” or the gap between the perceived and the actual security posture of merging organizations, is one of the most significant hidden risks in modern M&A transactions. Cybersecurity exposure management provides the strategic framework needed to identify, assess, and remediate these disparities before they evolve into costly post-merger surprises.

As cyber threats evolve in sophistication and impact, the ability to effectively manage security exposure has become not just a technical necessity but a fundamental driver of M&A value creation and risk mitigation. With proper Exposure Management practices, you can transform potential security vulnerabilities into opportunities for enhanced integration, streamlined compliance, and strengthened digital resilience.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through 11 critical questions that serve as the foundation for implementing robust Exposure Management practices throughout the M&A lifecycle. These questions are designed to help security teams gain visibility early in the process, prioritize efforts where they matter most, and ensure that cybersecurity considerations have a meaningful seat at the deal table. By addressing these questions proactively, you can help close the cyber delta and contribute to a more successful deal.

1. How does Exposure Management specifically help identify and quantify risks during the due diligence phase of M&A?

During due diligence, security teams usually don’t have access to the internal environment of the organization being acquired or merged with. Exposure Management – especially External Attack Surface Management at this point – lets them build a valuable external view: internet-facing assets, legacy systems, unsupported applications, misconfigurations, and signs of technical debt.

I think of it like buying a house. You do a survey before you commit, but once you move in, you might find the electrical wiring is completely shot. You’d want to know that beforehand – so you can adjust the price or plan for the work. It’s the same here. If a company relies on software that can’t be patched or systems that are no longer supported, that becomes your problem after the deal closes.

2. What are the most common types of exposures that companies fail to properly assess during mergers and acquisitions?

A few things come up again and again. Legacy applications are a big one – systems that can’t be patched or are no longer supported. You also see environments with outdated remediation processes or no clear ownership over who handles what. That creates confusion when something needs fixing.

Another issue is maturity mismatch. One company might have a structured, prioritized approach to Exposure Management, while the other is still reacting to every CVE as if it’s equal. When those two teams come together, the gaps become obvious. If you don’t catch that during integration planning, you’re going to run into delays, miscommunication, and risk that doesn’t get addressed properly.

These aren’t just technical problems. They’re process problems – and they don’t show up on a spreadsheet. Exposure Management helps bring them to the surface.

3. How can Exposure Management tools help bridge the information gap between acquirer and target company?

Before a deal closes, access is limited. As I mentioned above, security teams often have to work with what’s available from the outside. Exposure Management tools make that possible. They help identify internet-facing assets, legacy systems, expired certificates, and outdated software – without needing internal access.

This kind of visibility is often the only option during the early stages of M&A. It gives security teams a way to start building a risk profile and spot signs of technical debt or neglected systems. That insight supports better planning and sharper questions, even while the deal is still in motion.

The object here is to understand what’s visible, what’s aging, and what might create problems later. That’s enough to set early priorities and prepare for what comes next.

4. What role does Exposure Management play in post-merger integration, and how does it differ from pre-acquisition exposure assessment?

Like I said, before the deal closes, all you can really do is look from the outside. But once the acquisition goes through, everything changes. Now you’ve got access. You can drop in tools, run internal scans, and map out the actual risk. You’re no longer guessing – you’re cleaning up, consolidating, and trying to figure out what needs fixing first.

At that point, Exposure Management shifts from external mapping to internal validation. You can trace lateral movement paths, run identity and privilege audits, and scan for misconfigurations across infrastructure and endpoints. It’s not just about visibility anymore – it’s about impact.

I think of this phase in three parts: understanding what you’ve bought, stabilizing it quickly, and then working out how it connects to everything else. That’s where Exposure Management really earns its keep. 

5. What metrics or KPIs should companies track to ensure effective Exposure Management throughout the M&A process?

It depends on the business. A large organization buying a much smaller one is going to have a very different risk profile, so you’re not always aiming for parity. But even if you don’t unify all the technologies, you still need a unified view of risk.

One thing I always suggest is setting a baseline for both sides. That gives you a way to measure progress and spot where the biggest gaps are. You might not be able to bring everything into a single platform, but you can agree on what ‘good’ looks like – what needs fixing and where the priorities are.

Security scores or shared risk indexes can help, especially when you’re trying to compare two environments that work differently. It’s less about having one perfect KPI and more about knowing what you’ve got, what it’s going to take to secure it, and how you’ll track that over time.

6. How does technology, particularly Exposure Management platforms, accelerate the M&A timeline?

Each M&A moves at its own speed, but figuring out what you’ve actually bought can take a lot longer than you might have hoped. I’ve seen teams get stuck chasing asset lists, sorting through old systems, or trying to guess where the biggest risks are. The right Exposure Management tools help you skip all that. They show you what’s exposed, what’s outdated, and what needs attention right now.

That kind of clarity means less scrambling. You can focus on the work that matters – remediation, consolidation, cleanup – without getting bogged down in noise.

And it’s not just me saying this. According to EY, organizations that bring security and infrastructure teams together early end up integrating faster and seeing results sooner.

7. How should companies align their Exposure Management strategies with their overall M&A objectives?

It really comes down to knowing what the deal is trying to achieve. If the plan is full integration, then Exposure Management should help you figure out where the biggest risks are, what systems can be merged, and what needs to be cleaned up. If the companies are going to run side by side, the goal shifts – now you’re looking at how they connect and how to keep those connection points secure.

You don’t need to treat everything the same way. You just need a clear picture of what you’re working with, so your security decisions actually support the business plan. That’s what Exposure Management is for – it gives you the visibility to stay focused on what matters, instead of reacting to every issue the same way.

8. What are the best practices for creating a unified Exposure Management framework when combining two different corporate cultures?

When two companies come together, Exposure Management gets tricky. You’re not just dealing with different tools – you’re dealing with different ways of thinking about risk. One team might have a solid process for tracking and prioritizing issues. The other might be in constant firefighting mode, just trying to keep up.

Trying to force everyone into one framework right away usually doesn’t work. A better move is to start with shared visibility. Get both sides looking at the same data, and using the same language when they talk about risk. (Want to learn more about creating a common language for risk? Read this blog the amazing Gali Rahamim and I wrote about how to get teams on the same page.)

Then focus on the areas where the two environments actually touch – things like identity, access, and shared infrastructure. That’s where misalignment causes the most problems.

You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one. You just need people seeing the same picture and willing to work on it together.

9. Can Exposure Management help with regulatory compliance during M&A transactions?

Definitely. During M&A, you’re not just worried about vulnerabilities – you’re also inheriting someone else’s compliance posture. Exposure Management helps you spot the stuff that could cause trouble, like outdated encryption, misconfigured systems, or sensitive data sitting in the wrong place.

It’s not just about security. It’s about showing you’ve got control over the environment. Exposure Management can help with things like automated audits, risk scoring, and surfacing gaps – so you’re not scrambling to prove compliance after the fact.

10. How should companies approach cyber risk exposure during technology-focused acquisitions?

Tech acquisitions come with a different level of risk. You’re not just picking up a few systems – you’re taking on cloud infrastructure, APIs, remote access tools, maybe even some IoT. That’s a lot of surface area, and a lot of places where things can go wrong.

The first step is always visibility. You want a clear picture of what you’re inheriting – how the cloud environment is set up, who has access, whether MFA is in place, and if any outside vendors still have their foot in the door. It also helps to look back at their incident history. Have they been breached? Were there any close calls?

And timing matters. One expert points out that attackers often target companies during deals, when things are in flux. That makes it even more important to get ahead of any gaps early. Exposure Management gives you the information you need to make smart decisions before problems land in your lap.

11. What are the emerging trends in Exposure Management for cross-border M&A transactions?

Cross-border deals are where things really start to get messy. You’re not just taking on new systems-you’re stepping into someone else’s legal landscape. Every country has its own rules, its own definition of what “secure” looks like, and its own way of doing things. You can’t assume what works in one place will fly in another.

Rather than trying to treat everything the same, the successful teams I’ve seen build out exposure profiles that match the local context. What’s risky in one country might be totally normal in another. Some tools now even let you filter risk based on region, which helps keep the noise down and the focus clear.

And this isn’t just theory. PwC calls out how more companies are planning for local complexity up front-thinking through regional risks and adjusting their security and compliance plans before the deal is done.

The Bottom Line: Turning Cyber Risk into M&A Advantage

The “cyber delta” in mergers and acquisitions is both a challenge and an opportunity. While security gaps between organizations can create significant risks, effective Exposure Management transforms these potential vulnerabilities into strategic advantages.

By addressing the 11 questions I covered, security teams can move from being perceived as deal obstacles to becoming valuable strategic partners in the M&A process. Exposure Management provides the visibility to identify risks early, the context to prioritize effectively, and the framework to remediate systematically, all of which are critical capabilities before, during, and after the transaction.

Remember that Exposure Management isn’t just about finding vulnerabilities; it’s about providing the clarity needed to make informed business decisions throughout the entire M&A lifecycle. By closing the cyber delta through systematic Exposure Management practices, security teams earn their rightful place at the M&A table and contribute directly to the deal’s long-term success.