Townsend Security creates data privacy solutions that help organizations meet evolving compliance requirements and mitigate the risk of data breaches and cyber-attacks. We had the honor of speaking with Patrick Townsend, the CEO of Townsend Security, who kindly agreed to share some information about the company, its mission, and the services it offers.
Please present Townsend Security to our audience.
Here at Townsend Security, we focus on protecting sensitive data at rest with encryption. That sensitive data might be personally-identifying information like credit card or bank numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, and lots of similar information. It might also be sensitive IP, business plans, financial and tax reporting information, and much, much more. Securing this with strong encryption and the protection of the encryption keys is our core focus.
Please describe the story behind the company: What sparked the idea, and how has it evolved so far?
I would like to say that we were very prescient and got into encryption security early. But the truth is that our customers made us do it! We had developed B2B communications software that drove our early success. And then our customers told us how much they needed encryption to protect the data they were sending to customers, suppliers, and other third parties over the internet. We stepped up to that challenge and then matured our product offerings from there. A core realization for us was that there is no such thing as secure encryption without secure protection of the encryption keys, and that led us to develop a full encryption key management solution. Today we protect VMware, databases, and storage for on-premise and cloud deployments. What a journey this has been!
What services do you offer?
We provide encryption and key management solutions for VMware (encrypted VMs and vSAN, vTPM), databases like SQL Server, MySQL, and MongoDB, and SDKs to let developers get the job done right. These are available in the cloud and on-premise. We sell direct and through partners like MSPs.
Web development companies can integrate our security solutions into their offerings. And technology companies can leverage our partner program to embed good security in their applications. I’m proud of our partner programs. They make security easy to accomplish.
What is the mission of Townsend Security?
We want every organization, no matter how big or small, to have access to real encryption solutions. Everyone is now subject to ransomware and data breaches. Security should not just be available to large companies with unlimited budgets. Our heart is in helping smaller companies and organizations deploy security to protect their customers, employees, and associates. And we help technology companies embed proper encryption and key management into their applications.
Who are your typical customers, and what do you think is the main challenge that your product solves for them?
Our typical customer is a small business, local or state agency, or non-profit organization. They may have limited or no IT resources and are always constrained by budget. They need data security that is fast, easy, and affordable. And that’s what we do! The effects of ransomware, malware, and data breaches are tragic for these smaller organizations. Many do not survive these types of criminal attacks. Encryption is not sufficient by itself to protect against these threats, but there is no real security without encryption.
How do you envision the future of your industry?
We are all in transition to a Security-as-a-Service model. No more expensive, legacy licensing. No more complex products that are difficult to install, configure, manage and operate. Everything has to work in the cloud. And pricing has to be usage or consumption-based. As technologists, we are used to being disruptive. But now we are the ones getting disrupted! It’s an exciting time to try to meet these challenges.
And don’t get me started on Web 3.0! That’s going to change everything again!
