Security Risk That Looks Good on Paper Often Fails During Incidents: A Behavioral Problem
A security posture with perfect controls but unclear escalation authority, leaders who optimize for delivery over truth, that's high-risk. We measure 108 signals across security controls (systems), security processes (incident response, vulnerability management), and security culture (whether it's enforced under pressure).
Pre-LOI ready for PE firms. <2 weeks. $12K-$15K (Rapid Scan) or $45K-$65K (Full TRI). Also: Post-close optimization (15%-35% cost reduction while improving posture).
Why Security Due Diligence Misses Behavioral Risk
Traditional security diligence reviews controls, policies, vulnerability scans, and compliance documentation. All useful. Often insufficient. What they miss: whether security decisions have teeth when they conflict with shipping, whether incidents trigger real escalation or get swept under, whether controls exist in practice or just in policy.
What We Measure and Why Behaviors Matter
We collect evidence on three layers, because security outcomes are rarely "just technical."
Systems (What Exists)
Security controls (endpoint, network, identity, application), monitoring tools, vulnerability management platforms, compliance documentation, backup systems, threat intelligence feeds.
Processes (How Security Should Work)
Incident response procedures, vulnerability patching workflows, access review cycles, security change approvals, vendor risk assessments, compliance audit processes.
Behaviors (How Security Actually Works)
Do security decisions have teeth when they conflict with shipping? Do incidents trigger escalation or get swept under? Are vulnerabilities patched on schedule, or only after escalation? Can security teams say "no" safely?
Why Behavioral Evidence Matters for Security
A target with "SOC2 compliant" documentation but weak security culture will fail under stress because controls get bypassed when deadlines loom, vulnerabilities stay unpatched until breaches happen, incident escalations work on paper but fail in practice. Traditional firms note these risks as "change management needs." Signalomix scores them as measurable signals inside PE due diligence.
Three-Layer Cybersecurity Assessment
108 signals across 12 dimensions: identity & access controls, network security, endpoint protection, application security, data protection, incident response, threat intelligence, security monitoring, vulnerability management, compliance & governance, security team capability, vendor security. Evidence-based scoring benchmarked against industry cohorts. Portfolio-grade format for PE diligence + post-close optimization.
Three Decisions This Assessment Enables for PE Firms
- Pre-LOI screening: Will security debt kill the deal? Are there breach risks that trigger insurance or customer consequences? Cyber insurance premiums reducible?
- Post-close optimization: 15-35% security cost reduction while improving posture. $2M+ EBITDA improvement from vendor rationalization. Tool sprawl and shelfware eliminated.
- IC scorecard: Security risk index, top drivers (controls vs. culture), breach risk quantified, remediation cost/timeline, not generic "security is okay." Portfolio-grade format you can compare across deals.
Every signal aligns to industry-standard compliance frameworks (NIST CSF, SOC2 TSC). Audit-ready, evidence-based.
12 Dimensions: Controls, Processes, Culture
We score security capabilities across controls (systems), security processes (how response should work), and security culture (whether it's enforced under pressure), because security risk is rarely "just controls."
Identity & Access Controls
Network Security
Endpoint Protection
Application Security
Data Protection & Privacy
Incident Response Capability
Threat Intelligence & Detection
Security Monitoring & SIEM
Vulnerability Management
Compliance & Governance
Security Team Capability
Vendor Security & Supply Chain
Pre-LOI Cybersecurity Assessment: Will Security Debt Kill the Deal?
For PE firms, the question isn't "does security documentation exist?", it's "will breach risk trigger insurance consequences, customer loss, or regulatory action? Can security culture survive a CTO change?"
What We Identify Pre-Close
- Tool sprawl → 37% redundant spend, $800K-$1.2M waste per year
- Shelfware → $400K-$800K in licensed-but-unused capabilities
- Compliance theater → audit-passing controls with zero real protection
- Coverage gaps → critical assets unprotected despite high spend
- Breach risk → vulnerabilities that trigger insurance/customer consequences
- Culture risk: Security bypassed under pressure, unclear escalation, delivery optics > truth
What You Get for IC
- Security risk index (quantified, benchmarked)
- Breach risk quantified: insurance impact, customer exposure, regulatory consequences
- Cost optimization roadmap: 15-35% reduction while improving posture
- Vendor rationalization plan: tool consolidation, shelfware elimination
- Fix-first plan: 30/60/90 priorities (critical gaps, culture enforcement, cost reduction)
- Portfolio-grade format: comparable across deals, trackable post-close
What You Get: IC Scorecard + Post-Close Remediation Roadmap
Diligence for pre-close decisions + optimization roadmap for post-close value creation. Both use the same 108-signal framework.
IC-Ready Risk Scorecard
Security risk index, top 5 drivers, breach risk quantified (insurance impact, customer exposure), tool sprawl waste identified, not generic "security review." Portfolio-grade format comparable across deals.
Post-Close Remediation Roadmap (30/60/90)
Prioritized plan: critical gap closure, culture enforcement, vendor rationalization, with cost savings potential ($M EBITDA improvement), timeline, and ownership.
Behavioral Evidence Collection
Security culture assessment: Do security decisions have teeth? Are controls enforced under pressure? Can security teams block insecure releases? Scored, not noted.
PE Impact: $2M+ EBITDA Improvement + Breach Risk Quantified
Signals Measured
Controls, processes, culture, scored, benchmarked, rolled up to security risk index. Breach risk quantified. Tool sprawl waste identified.
Cost Reduction Post-Close
Vendor rationalization, shelfware elimination, compliance theater removal, $2M+ EBITDA improvement while improving posture. Cyber insurance premiums reduced.
Security Culture Risk
Do security decisions have teeth? Are controls bypassed under pressure? Can security teams say "no" safely? Scored, not noted.