Ensuring the security of your outbound email should be a no-brainer element of small-business communications with employees, partners, customers, vendors, and, heck, even the man on the moon. But once those parties on the other end have your message, then what? How do you know those email recipients are as diligent about email security as you are?

You don't. "You have no idea what happens after that data goes to that person," says Patty Dock, COO of Morristown, N.J.-based DataMotion, whose latest email security-as-a-service offers enterprise-level encryption for small offices. Preferred9 costs $99 per year, and includes a total of 10 licenses: one for you, plus the remaining nine to give to other companies with which you do business. "You're taking a proactive stance by protecting your associates and customers," Dock says.

These days, an inexpensive extra you can pass along to your associates can go a long way -- though keep in mind those extra nine licenses are really invites to Preferred9. Should one of your partners decline, you don't get to pull out your B list.

More about the product: Preferred9 features include an easy-to-use interface, access from the most common email clients (a plug-in is available for Outlook), and the ability to transfer audio and data files up to 32 megabtyes. Click the "Send Secure" button -- a maximum of 50 per day -- and you're set. Messages can be retrieved via DataMonitor's Web portal or delivered to an email client as a PDF attachment, both of which require password access. You're able to track a message's whereabouts and set an expiration date for how long it's accessible, plus you have the ability to prevent your message recipient from replying or forwarding your message.

DataMotion cites companies in the healthcare, insurance, and legal verticals as good matches for Preferred9, but, it's suitable for anyone sending email with some form of personally identifiable information, such as your social security number or address. For example, if you're a contractor/freelancer and email your bill, that bill could be forwarded several times within your client's email network. Had you extended one of those nine licenses to that client, you would know that your sensitive information is protected.

"It's not just what small businesses are doing about the privacy of their data, but they have to think about what their partners are doing," Dock says. "In large corporations, you have a compliance office. But not in a small company, where there's no room for error. A small data leak could be a business-ender."

Preferred9 is also available via a monthly subscription rate of $10. 

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