{"id":207787,"date":"2026-01-29T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/29\/elevating-cybersecuritys-role-in-ma-to-protect-value\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T11:45:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:45:10","slug":"elevating-cybersecuritys-role-in-ma-to-protect-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/29\/elevating-cybersecuritys-role-in-ma-to-protect-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Elevating Cybersecurity\u2019s Role in M&A to Protect Value"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elevating Cybersecurity\u2019s Role in M&A to Protect Value<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/cxotoday.com\/specials\/gartner-elevating-cybersecuritys-role-in-ma-to-protect-value\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-01-29 11:01:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: cxotoday.com<\/a><\/p>\n

By <\/strong>Christopher Mixter<\/strong><\/p>\n

As organizations prepare for a wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in 2026, the importance of cybersecurity in protecting deal value is coming into sharper focus. Too often, cybersecurity risk assessments occur too late in the M&A life cycle, missing critical opportunities for risk prevention, and leading to incorrect assumptions about cybersecurity\u2019s ability to contribute to postclose synergies. According to a Gartner survey, in 2025, 28% of non-executive board directors reported experiencing a cybersecurity-related disruption either before or in the early days after an M&A transaction\u2019s close. As regulations increase the cost of late discoveries, the stakes for early and effective cyber due diligence have never been higher.<\/p>\n

To safeguard business outcomes, chief information security officers (CISOs) must advocate for early involvement in due diligence. By engaging directly with boards and deploying minimum-effective due diligence playbooks, CISOs can identify risks quickly without slowing down the transaction.<\/p>\n

Building on this foundation, acquiring company CISOs must take deliberate actions to position cybersecurity as a strategic enabler throughout the M&A life cycle and ensure it protects deal value.<\/p>\n

Reset Cybersecurity\u2019s Value Proposition in M&A<\/strong><\/p>\n

CISOs must begin by reframing the value of cybersecurity in the M&A process at the board level. While engaging with CEOs and CFOs remains important, their focus often centers on deal timelines and valuation. To secure meaningful board-level buy-in for cybersecurity due diligence, CISOs should take a structured approach:<\/p>\n