Data security firm Egress Software has launched its first product into the market today, a secure data exchange offering known as Switch.

The product is designed to enable firms to share documents and other data with third parties in a totally secure way, the firm said, and to offer granular control on access and security parameters, even after the data has been sent.

Switch works by having the sender and recipient download a client onto their devices. The sender can then create a securely encrypted data package by dragging and dropping content into a package creator tool, which can then be saved to any media and sent via email attachment, USB stick or CD for example.

The user's security policies, along with package and audit information, are then stored on a central Switch server in the cloud, so that when the recipient receives the package and opens it with a package viewer tool, the same information can be sent from the server to the recipient's PC.

The sender controls who has access to the data, and can even specify how long that data is viewable. They are also able to view security logs, which will help with auditing and compliance purposes and to improve general manageability, according to Egress vice president Bob Egner.

"Switch is focused on secure data exchange and a good end-user experience because, if security is too complex, people will look for workarounds," he said. "Having a web-based service means you don't need servers in place or a big upfront investment."

The service is charged either per use, with five credits for £6.99, on a monthly subscription at £6.49, or annually at £23 per user. Recipients can use the service for free.