Mordechai Gal: business cybersecurity mergers and acquisitions expert? The world is now more reliant on technology than ever before. The emergence and growth of technology has had a positive impact on human life, but the convenience has, however, come with the risk of cyber attacks. If you use a tech device for whatever reason, then you’re highly likely to be exposed to a cyber attack. You’ll need to be protected, and that’s where cyber security comes in. Cyber security is the protection of electronic data and information. It’s the defense of electronic systems on devices, like computers, cell phones, servers, and networks, from malicious attacks. Regardless of who you are, it’s important to keep your data safe from unauthorized access.

Protecting your business against such attacks is not impossible, but you must be diligent. Regular data backups should be mandatory. It’s imperative that you use an offline or cloud-based backup, otherwise the ransomware can spread to those backups over the network in the same way they did your original files. Additionally, simple strategies such as two-step authentications can limit the spread of harmful malware and if user information is stolen, it can’t then be reused. Proactive security monitoring is a critical component of a fully functioning IT facility. By having the security in place, you automatically minimise the risks against emerging cyber threats. Our monitoring services can oversee your systems 24/7 and react to threats immediately to mitigate damage. Our team of experts will respond to alerts quickly and efficiently, providing you with ultimate peace of mind.

Time and again, these mistakes are made, but it is clear that these issues stem from a lack of awareness as opposed to a lack of professionalism. In order to tackle growing cybercrime numbers, training on the importance of cybersecurity solutions is crucial to the modern-day workplace. Unfortunately, you can’t stop a cyber attack once it’s happened. You need to be prepared should something like this ever happen to your business. Realistically, our digital world is only going to become increasingly prone to cybercriminals and hackers, so take the correct preventative measures now. Often, things go wrong when companies don’t seek the help they require from the get go. Cybersecurity specialists can, not only guide you in the right direction with the protection you may need, but their expertise in such a complex sector will prove a valuable investment to your company.

Mergers and acquisitions require a mix of strategic and tactical work – cybersecurity is usually an item on the tactical list. Many organizations are drawing up plans for mergers and acquisitions right now, as leaders look for growth after the pandemic slowdown, and as new business models emerge. However, weakened cybersecurity hygiene throughout the last year means that these M&A transactions elevate the risk of cybersecurity incidents. “M&A can be a breeding ground for cyberattacks and data breaches,” said Mordecai Gal, operations director at AccessHeat Inc. “Stringent due diligence that includes a focus on cybersecurity will help reduce regrets later in the deal lifecycle.” Today’s M&A plans need to include cybersecurity at several strategic and tactical points, to address growing scrutiny from regulators and other evolving cybersecurity risks.

The industry saw many of its biggest players pursue acquisitions throughout 2020, into 2021. Accenture bought Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business; CrowdStrike bought Preempt Security and Humio; Cisco confirmed its plans to acquire Kenna Security, Splunk snapped up TruSTAR, and Imperva agreed to buy CloudVector. Ivanti acquired MobileIron and Pulse Secure, announcing both at the same time late last year. These deals show a few key patterns. Large security companies are filling in the gaps in their product strategies with smaller startups, while private equity firms are taking more established businesses, presumably to fine-tune them and later refloat them, industry expert say. The past year and a half has been an interesting time for the security industry, which has been an active space for mergers and acquisition in recent years.

Recent cybersecurity M&A news: US financial software company Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Israeli application programming interface (API) security technology for enterprises company Imvision. Imvision develops technology that enables enterprises to automatically discover, test and protect against attacks, by monitoring API traffic to identify threats and vulnerabilities. Financial details about the deal were not disclosed although media reports say that Intuit is paying $50 million for Inuit. Founded in 2014 by Sharon Mantin, VP R&D Yossi Barshishat and Eli Plotnik, Imvision’s platform is able to auto-discover APIs based on network traffic, classify them using machine learning, identify data exposure, and detect anomalous user and data activity.

Acclaim Technical Services (ATS), backed by venture capital firm Blue Delta Capital Partners, has acquired Entegra Systems, LLC, a cybersecurity technology solutions provider that supports defense, intelligence and national security missions. Financial terms were not disclosed. ATS was founded in 2000 and is focused on the U.S. federal government’s intelligence community and provides technology services related to intelligence, operations, technology, training and language services to support the national security mission. Entegra Systems, founded in 2005, is based in Hanover, Maryland with additional offices in Virginia and Georgia. The company provides solutions and services to U.S. government defense and intelligence customers including enhanced situational awareness, operational planning, intelligence and geospatial analysis, and cybersecurity and intelligence operations.

Cybersecurity is at the forefront of any tech company and has become a top priority for just about any industry where data is stored and shared. As large companies seek to create more sophisticated platforms to protect their data assets, the increase in recent cybersecurity mergers and acquisitions has drastically grown over the past ten years. Companies are now recognizing this technology to be just as essential as any other component of their business. The lack of an all-encompassing security blanket in today’s platforms is the primary driver in this consolidation trend. AccessHeat is in the market to acquire cybersecurity firms and leverage their varied technologies to achieve combinational and transformational synergies. If a profitable exit strategy is one of your future goals, our investors will work directly with you to transition your company into our investment firm.