Find the security risk in a deal before it finds you after close.
Security due diligence has become a standard part of serious M&A activity — the question is whether you get it done by someone who has actually led it, or discover the gaps after you own them. Summit brings deal-side cybersecurity experience to due diligence, integration, and everything between the LOI and the close.
Security risk doesn’t stop a deal — but it does change its terms. Summit brings deal-side cybersecurity experience to due diligence, purchase agreements, and post-close integration, so risk is priced in, not discovered after the ink is dry.
Why security diligence, now
The case for treating this as a real workstream, not a checkbox.
Security used to be a footnote in M&A diligence, if it appeared at all. That has changed. Acquirers increasingly treat cybersecurity posture as a material factor in valuation, deal structure, and post-close integration cost — and the companies most likely to get burned are the ones who still treat it as a checkbox instead of a workstream.
This isn’t only a concern for billion-dollar transactions. A lower middle-market company being acquired, a portfolio company being bolted onto an existing platform, or a small business owner selling to a strategic buyer all face the same basic exposure: undisclosed risk that surfaces after the deal closes costs more, and trusts less, than risk that’s found and priced in before signing.
Summit’s approach is built on deal-side experience, not general security consulting applied to a deal after the fact. That means findings that fit how deal teams actually work, timelines that respect how fast transactions move, and integration planning that starts before close instead of after.
M&A security diligence vs. the alternatives
Most deal teams land here after trying one of the other three.
| No Security Diligence | Generic IT Checklist | General Security Firm | Summit M&A Advisory | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deal-side experience | — | No | Rarely | Included |
| Findings tied to deal terms | No | No | Rarely | Included |
| Built for deal-speed timelines | — | Sometimes | Rarely | Included |
| Post-close integration planning | — | No | Sometimes | Included |
| Consistent across a deal pipeline | — | No | No | Included |
What’s included
Pre-Acquisition Security Due Diligence
A focused assessment of the target company’s security posture, delivered on deal timelines — so security findings inform the deal, not just the integration plan.
Inherited Risk Analysis
A clear picture of the risk you’re taking on, prioritized by business impact, with a remediation plan ready before close.
Deal Timeline Alignment
Diligence scoped and delivered on the timeline your deal actually runs on, not a generic multi-month assessment schedule.
Purchase Agreement & Reps Support
Findings translated into language that can inform indemnification, escrow, and security-specific representations, in coordination with your deal counsel.
Post-Close Integration
Hands-on leadership integrating the acquired company’s security program, tooling, and team into the parent organization.
Portfolio Company Security Leadership
Ongoing virtual CISO support across portfolio companies, so security posture stays consistent as the portfolio grows.
Built for both sides of the table
The industries Summit serves most.
Financial Services & FinTech
Security diligence that speaks the same regulatory language your acquisition target’s examiners already do.
Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
A standing diligence partner across every deal in your pipeline, not a one-off engagement you have to re-explain each time.
Healthcare & HealthTech
HIPAA exposure doesn’t disappear at close — we surface it before you own it.
M&A
The core of what we do: security due diligence and integration planning built for how deals actually move.
Professional Services
Acquiring a firm that holds sensitive client data means inheriting their security posture, good or bad — we tell you which one it is.
High-Growth & Mid-Market Companies
Whether you’re being acquired or doing the acquiring, we help make sure security isn’t the thing that complicates the deal.
How it works
Built around the deal calendar, not a generic project plan.
Pre-LOI / early diligence
A fast, focused review to flag anything that could affect valuation or deal structure before you’re deep into exclusivity.
Days, not weeks.Confirmatory due diligence
Full security due diligence during the diligence period — inherited risk, technical debt, compliance gaps — delivered on your deal timeline.
During your diligence window.Close & day-one planning
A clear picture of what needs to happen on day one versus what can wait, so close isn’t followed by a security scramble.
Ahead of close.Post-close integration
Hands-on leadership integrating the acquired company’s security program, tooling, and team into yours.
First 90–180 days.What you receive
Findings built to be used, not just read.
Engagement options
Scoped to your deal, not a one-size project.
Every engagement is scoped from an initial call and confirmed in writing before work begins. Deal timelines are often tight — tell us yours during scoping and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
For early-stage or pre-LOI diligence, when you need a fast read on security risk before going deeper.
- High-level review, 3–5 business days
- Key risk flags for valuation or structure
- Go / no-go input for deal leads
- One executive summary
Best for early-stage diligence
Comprehensive diligence during your confirmatory period, delivered on your deal timeline.
- Full technical and compliance review
- Inherited risk report with cost estimates
- Purchase agreement and reps support
- Day-one action plan
- Executive and investment committee readout
Most common engagement
Hands-on leadership integrating an acquired company’s security program, tooling, and team into yours after close.
- Integration leadership through the first 90–180 days
- Security program, tooling, and team consolidation
- Progress reporting to deal leads or the board
- Transitions cleanly to your team when complete
Typical follow-on after due diligence
What this is — and what it isn’t
Stated plainly because it appears in the engagement agreement.
What we deliver
- Independent, deal-side security due diligence and integration leadership.
- Findings usable in real deal contexts — timelines, valuation discussions, and deal terms.
- Portfolio-wide consistency for repeat acquirers and private equity sponsors.
- Coordination with your deal counsel and other advisors, not a siloed report.
What we do not do
- We are not a law firm and do not draft or negotiate purchase agreement language; we work alongside your counsel.
- We do not perform financial, tax, or accounting due diligence.
- We do not guarantee a specific valuation impact or deal outcome.
- We do not perform penetration testing or forensic investigation as part of standard diligence; those are available separately when a deal calls for them.
- We do not accept compensation from either side of a transaction beyond our engagement fee.
Questions we get on the first call
If yours isn’t here, ask it directly — a scoping conversation costs nothing.
We’re a small company doing our first acquisition — is this overkill?
No — smaller deals often have less formal security diligence than large ones, which is exactly when undisclosed risk is most likely to slip through. A review scaled to your deal size is usually a few days of work, not a months-long project.
How fast can you turn around diligence?
Rapid reviews can often be delivered within a week; full due diligence typically fits within a standard two-to-four-week confirmatory diligence period. Tell us your timeline during scoping and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
Do you work directly with our deal team and counsel?
Yes. We coordinate directly with your deal lead, investment committee, or legal counsel as needed, and deliver findings in a form they can use.
What if we’re the one being acquired, not the acquirer?
We work both sides. Sell-side security readiness — getting your own house in order before a buyer’s diligence team arrives — often prevents findings from becoming negotiating leverage against you.
Can you help across multiple deals if we’re an active acquirer?
Yes — this is common for private equity firms and serial acquirers, and we can structure a standing relationship so every deal gets consistent, comparable diligence without re-scoping each time.
What happens after the deal closes?
We can stay engaged for post-close integration, or transition cleanly to your internal team or an ongoing Virtual CISO engagement — whichever fits.
About the practice
Texas, specifically
Summit Cyber Advisors is based in Georgetown, serving organizations across the state. Engagements are governed by Texas law.
Deal-side experience
Led by a security leader with hands-on experience in M&A security architecture, including a landmark, multi-billion-dollar regional banking acquisition.
Insured
Professional liability and errors and omissions, cyber liability, and commercial general liability coverage are maintained throughout every engagement.
Advisory only, by design
No software resale, no managed services, no vendor commissions. Our only revenue from your engagement is the fee you agreed to.