So Hot They're Cool

5:15 PM -- Today Dark Reading takes a look at some of the hottest -- oh yeah, and coolest -- security startups. Some that are already making waves, others that are some of the best-kept secrets in security, and one that's so stealthy that no one there can tell you what they do or they'd have to kill you... Well, not really, but they say they can't divulge product details just yet, anyway. (See 10 Hot Security Startups.)

But what makes all 10 of these companies we selected for the spotlight so fascinating is that they are coming up with innovations and launching companies at a time when the security market has been a bit slow and flat. Some have gone it alone, without venture capital, and others have secured funding at a time when that's no simple feat.

And the brains behind many of these newcomers are the superstars of security, too (think HD Moore and David Dagon), which make them even more attractive, and intriguing.

So kick back and get acquainted with some new products and services from Agiliance, Armored Online, BreakingPoint Systems, Cleversafe, Damballa, Errata Security, IronKey, Provision Networks, Sabre Security, and Veracode. They may not be your household Cisco, Microsoft, McAfee, or Symantec security names, but part of the excitement of startups is wondering if they'll be the next big thing, or not.

— Kelly Jackson Higgins, Senior Editor, Dark Reading