⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Three Tech Tools for Keeping Sensitive Business Data Safe From password management to securing your network, these tools can help keep your business information from landing in the wrong hands.

By Jonathan Blum

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Three Tools for Taking Security to the Next LevelSAN FRANCISCO -- Top-of-the-line security features don't have to be an afterthought for small businesses. Here at the RSA Conference -- an information security event hosted annually by its namesake firm -- we've uncovered several new options for security-conscious firms.

Most sophisticated security options are out of reach for resource-constrained smaller operations, because custom application development or software scanning tools are too expensive. But there is a growing stable of tools that offer enterprise-grade features at small business prices.

From password management to secure securing networks to safeguarding data on the go, here are three new security tools small companies might consider:

Manage and secure employee passwords.
Many small businesses have inadequate password management procedures. Employees either choose passwords that can be easy for hackers to crack or they simply aren't as careful about protecting their passwords as they should be.

Washington D.C based security service Thycotic offers government-grade password and identity management. Thycotic creates a password server that allows a manager on your team to require employees to create robust passwords on their PCs and then gives management the power to manage those passwords without actually opening them. For example, admins can delete a password after an employee leaves or is terminated.

Even though Thycotic's services have traditionally been aimed at big companies, they're priced so that any security-conscious firm should consider it. Thycotic's password reset server starts at $355 year for up to 100 users.

Related: Three Low-Cost Ways to Keep Data Safe When Traveling for Business

Keep unwanted users off your business network.
Your company's network needs to be as well protected as any other part of your office. Watchguard, a Seattle-based network security firm, offers an entry-level firewall and intrusion router -- the XTM 2 Series Firewall Appliance.

Large firms often go through a third party security manager, but Watchguard offers an easy-to-manage firewall with comparable features. It can be effective against the usual range of threats -- spyware, DoS attacks and the like -- and also includes protections for voice calling and web access. It also enables you to add features such as application control so firms can keep a handle on how their network is being used.

Watchguard's units start at about $350 for a one-time fee.

Related: How to Avoid One of the Biggest Email Hacking Threats

Keep portable data safe.
Carrying data on a flash drive might be the best way to move large amounts of critical information without risking it amid the open waters of the web. But an encrypted flash drive can help mitigate the loss if it is misplaced or stolen.

Fountain Valley, Calif.-based Kingston Technologies' line of encrypted flash drives might be the most bombproof portable storage option. For example, Kingston's Data Traveler 4000 -- which starts at $35 for 2GB -- includes security features with enforced complex passwords and a secure drive that locks down after 10 failed login attempts.

It's also durable, built in a rugged, waterproof steel casing that can withstand extreme hot and cold.

What tech tools do you use to keep your sensitive business data safe? Let us know in the comments below.


Jonathan Blum is a freelance writer and the principal of Blumsday LLC, a Web-based content company specializing in technology news.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.