Hot Biz: Tech Security, A.C.K., Entrepreneur Magazine

One of the biggest computer stories of the past few years is the rise of technology security. It's a wide-open area that encompasses everything from biometric thumbprint scanners to VPNs to consulting to firewalls to virus protection and beyond. A 2002 study released by IDC expects the IT security market to jump from $17 billion in 2001 to $45 billion in 2006. Three areas leading the charge are security hardware, services and software.

David Kaufman, 39, CEO and co-founder of Intense School, has helped his 64-employee company find a niche on the training side of security. When it started in 1997, the Plantation, Florida, company featured Microsoft and Cisco certification training. After 9/11, in response to the growing demand for security services, the company shifted gears to focus on information security boot camps. Its menu now features security-professional certification training and a popular professional hacking class from which 2,000 attendees have graduated. "It's one area of our business that is really blossoming," says Kaufman. Intense School illustrates the diverse opportunities available for entrepreneurs in the technology security sector. With the boom in wireless networking, Kaufman points to wireless security as a high-growth field.

Worms, bugs, viruses and hackers aren't going away anytime soon, and companies and consumers are looking for ways to make using the Internet safe again. Growing businesses working in security software and hardware development will find demand for products that fill niches, are easy to deploy, and are cost-effective to meet the needs of tight IT budgets. Entrepreneurs with technology security backgrounds can parlay their experience into consulting, development and security implementation work. Whether you're into thwarting hackers or scanning irises, there's room for new business in security. - A.C.K.