Case Study: Spirent Communications accelerates M&A due diligence and mitigates IP risk with Synopsys Black Duck code audits

Spirent Realizes the Value of Code Audits During M&A Due Diligence

Spirent Communications, a $500M provider of network testing and performance solutions, relies on frequent acquisitions (two to three per year) to add software-driven features and stay ahead in virtualization and automation. As the company shifted from hardware-centric products to software-led systems, code quality and intellectual property risk became a major challenge—so much so that Spirent once walked away from a deal because the target’s code was a “train wreck,” estimated to need 10 engineers two years to fix. Open source provenance and coding practices emerged as recurring risk factors in every potential acquisition.

To address this, Spirent standardized on Synopsys Black Duck Open Source and Code Quality audits as part of M&A due diligence. The audits quickly identify open source components, violations, and structural code risks, enabling Spirent to assess material impact, plan remediation, and make faster, more informed buy/decline decisions. Using an NDA with Synopsys also smooths negotiations with targets and investment bankers, helping Spirent integrate acquisitions more reliably and protect time-to-market for its customers.

Spirent Communications

Steve Clark

Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions