M&A Quantum Due Diligence
The data you're acquiring today may become a liability tomorrow. Protect deal value by understanding quantum risk before you close.
A New Category of Deal Risk
When you acquire a company, you acquire its data protection obligations. Traditional due diligence examines known breaches and current vulnerabilities. But there is a class of risk that standard checklists miss.
Encrypted data stolen before the acquisition may become readable after the deal closes. An incident that was unknown at signing becomes a legal, regulatory, and reputational problem for the buyer. The breach happened in the past; the damage lands in the future.
This is the "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later" problem, and it directly affects deal value, integration cost, and post-closing liability.
Who Should Care
Any deal where value depends on long-term confidential data carries quantum risk. This includes healthcare records, financial data, intellectual property, defence contracts, and customer databases with regulatory retention requirements.
It also applies to targets in critical infrastructure sectors and businesses that rely on strategically sensitive technologies subject to investment screening and export controls.
If a target has not started planning its transition to post-quantum cryptography, a buyer may need to factor in the cost of doing so after closing, or insist on cryptographic upgrades as a pre-closing condition.
Regulators Are Already Moving
Governments worldwide are publishing post-quantum migration roadmaps and tightening expectations for cryptographic resilience. A target that ignores these developments may face compliance gaps that become the buyer's problem.
European Union
NIS2 mandates cryptographic risk management for essential entities. DORA requires financial sector organisations to address quantum-related ICT risks. The EU also classifies quantum technologies as dual-use under export controls.
United Kingdom
NCSC has set a target of full PQC migration by 2035 for government and critical national infrastructure.
Asia-Pacific
Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and India have all published national quantum-safe roadmaps with defined migration timelines.
What We Assess
Our quantum due diligence review covers four areas that go beyond standard technology and cyber checklists.
Cryptographic Estate & Data Inventory
What cryptographic algorithms protect the target's data? What categories of data require long-term confidentiality? Where are the gaps?
PQC Migration Readiness
Does the target have a plan to migrate to quantum-safe cryptography? How far along is implementation? What are the blockers and dependencies?
HNDL Exposure & Incident History
Have there been data exfiltration incidents, even if the data is believed to remain encrypted? Could stolen ciphertext become readable post-closing?
Regulatory & Export Control Risk
Does the target handle export-controlled quantum technologies? Are there compliance obligations under NIS2, DORA, or national PQC mandates that transfer to the buyer?
Post-Acquisition Team Training
Upskill the target's technical and leadership teams on quantum risk, PQC migration planning, and cryptographic best practices to accelerate post-deal integration.
What You Receive
A concise, deal-team-ready report covering the target's cryptographic posture, quantum risk exposure, regulatory compliance status, and remediation cost estimate. Designed to integrate with your existing due diligence workflow.
Cryptographic Risk Summary
Overview of the target's cryptographic estate, quantum-vulnerable algorithms, and data categories at risk.
HNDL Liability Assessment
Analysis of potential delayed-impact exposure from historical data exfiltration.
Compliance Gap Analysis
How the target's cryptographic posture aligns with applicable PQC regulations and migration timelines.
Remediation Cost Estimate
Estimated cost and timeline for bringing the target to quantum-safe status post-closing.
From £5,000
Scoped to the target's size and complexity. Typical delivery within 2 weeks.
Protect Your Deal Value
Get quantum risk assessed before you close. We work to deal timelines.
Talk to Us