A cap table and a clean financial audit do not tell you whether the company you are acquiring, or funding, has a security posture that survives contact with reality. Cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing gives acquirers, investors and boards independent, technical evidence of real exposure before a deal closes — not the target's own self-reported answers.
We deliver findings scoped and timed to your deal timeline, translated into deal-relevant risk, not just a technical report.
We test the target's externally facing systems, core applications and cloud infrastructure on a compressed diligence timeline, and translate findings into terms a deal team can act on — remediation cost estimates, risk that should affect valuation or representations and warranties, and issues serious enough to flag before signing.
Why it matters
Undisclosed security debt is an increasingly common source of post-acquisition surprise — a breach discovered after close, remediation costs nobody budgeted for, or compliance gaps that block planned integration. Independent testing before close gives you leverage in negotiation and a realistic post-close remediation plan, instead of finding out the hard way.
What we test
- External perimeter & attack surface penetration testing
- Core application & API penetration testing
- Cloud infrastructure & configuration review
- Data exposure & sensitive-data-handling review
- Compliance posture spot-check (relevant frameworks)
- Deal-relevant risk & remediation cost translation
Common vulnerabilities we uncover
- Undisclosed security debt affecting post-close remediation cost
- Exposed sensitive or regulated data not reflected in disclosures
- Legacy or unsupported systems inherited with the acquisition
- Compliance gaps that would block planned integration
- Third-party and supply-chain risk not previously assessed
- Findings serious enough to affect valuation or deal terms
Our methodology
- Scoping & rules of engagement. We agree objectives, targets and boundaries for your m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing, so testing is safe, authorized and focused on what matters to your business.
- Reconnaissance & mapping. We enumerate the full attack surface in scope, building a complete picture before any exploitation begins.
- Manual exploitation. Our senior testers chain vulnerabilities by hand — going far beyond automated scanners — to prove real, demonstrable impact.
- Analysis & reporting. Every finding is triaged, risk-rated with CVSS and written up with a copy-paste reproduction and clear remediation.
- Remediation support & free retest. We support your team through the fixes and retest the remediated issues to confirm they are genuinely closed.
Tools & techniques
We run condensed, deal-timeline-appropriate testing against the target's external perimeter, core applications and cloud infrastructure, then translate technical findings into the language a deal team actually uses — estimated remediation cost and timeline, risk severity relevant to valuation, and anything material enough to disclose or negotiate before signing.
When you need this engagement
- You are acquiring a company and need independent technical due diligence
- You are an investor conducting security diligence ahead of a funding round
- Your deal team needs findings translated into valuation-relevant risk
- You need results on a compressed timeline ahead of signing
- You are planning post-close integration and need a realistic remediation baseline
What you receive
- Penetration test report scoped to the deal timeline
- Deal-relevant risk summary for non-technical stakeholders
- Estimated remediation cost & timeline
- Compliance posture spot-check
- Post-close remediation roadmap
- Executive briefing for the deal team
What’s included in your report
Every m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing engagement concludes with a comprehensive, board-ready report and a working session to walk your team through it. Your report includes:
- An executive summary with overall risk posture for non-technical stakeholders
- Detailed technical findings, each with a step-by-step, copy-paste reproduction
- CVSS v3.1 severity ratings and business-impact context for every issue
- Prioritized, actionable remediation guidance your engineers can apply directly
- A complimentary retest to confirm fixes and update finding status
- A formal attestation letter for customers, auditors and compliance programs
Standards & frameworks
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
OWASP Testing Guide
Outcomes you can expect
After your m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing, you will have clear, evidence-based visibility into your real security risk — not a scanner’s guesswork. You will know exactly which weaknesses an attacker could exploit, what the business impact would be, and the precise steps to fix them in priority order. Teams use our findings to close critical gaps, satisfy customer and regulator security requirements, and demonstrate due diligence to their board. With a complimentary retest included, you also get documented proof that the issues are genuinely resolved.
Engagement details & logistics
Every m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing starts with a short, no-obligation scoping call to understand your goals, environment and constraints, followed by a fixed-price proposal and a clear statement of work. Most engagements are delivered fully remotely, with on-site work arranged where it genuinely adds value. Throughout testing we maintain an agreed communication cadence and escalate any critical, high-impact finding to you immediately rather than waiting for the final report. All work is performed under a signed NDA with strict data-handling controls, using safe, non-disruptive techniques and carefully coordinated rules of engagement to protect your production systems. On completion you receive your report and a walkthrough session, followed by a complimentary retest once your fixes are in place. Typical engagements are booked one to three weeks in advance, and urgent or pre-deadline testing can often be accommodated — just ask at hi@agentoffense.com.
Why organizations choose AgentOffense
Our m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing is delivered by senior offensive-security engineers who test the way real attackers do — manually, creatively and with a relentless focus on proving genuine, demonstrable impact. Here is what sets our engagements apart:
- Manual, exploit-driven testing that chains vulnerabilities the way a real attacker would, going far beyond what automated scanners can find.
- Reproducible proof for every finding, with copy-paste reproduction steps your engineers can follow and independently verify.
- Honest severity calibration so you invest in fixing what genuinely matters and avoid wasting effort on false positives and noise.
- Clear, business-focused reporting that speaks to engineers and executives alike, tying every issue to real-world impact.
- A complimentary retest included, so you get documented proof that your fixes actually close the attack path.
- Responsible, collaborative delivery with a named point of contact and secure handling of all data throughout the engagement.
Explore related services
M&A Cybersecurity Due Diligence Penetration Testing is frequently scoped alongside our other offensive-security services for broader coverage. Explore related engagements that complement it:
How much does M&A Cybersecurity Due Diligence Penetration Testing cost?
Every m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing is scoped and priced individually, so you pay for exactly the coverage you need — with no hidden extras. After a short, no-obligation scoping call we send a fixed-price quote, usually within one business day, with clear deliverables, a firm timeline and a complimentary retest included. The price of your m&a cybersecurity due diligence penetration testing depends on the size and complexity of the target and the depth of testing required, so you always know the cost up front before any work begins.
Get a fixed-price quote
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you deliver results for a deal timeline?
Scope and timeline are agreed upfront around your deal calendar — we prioritise the highest-risk systems first so material findings surface early enough to inform negotiation, even under compressed diligence windows.
Do you report in technical or business terms?
Both — a technical report for engineering teams, and an executive summary that translates findings into remediation cost, timeline and deal-relevant risk for the people actually signing.
Can this be done confidentially before the target knows a deal is happening?
External-only testing can often be scoped discreetly; anything requiring target cooperation is coordinated through your deal process and any confidentiality agreements already in place.
Do you help with post-close remediation too?
Yes — the same findings become your post-close remediation roadmap, and we can support the retest once fixes land.