Watchdog Says Theft is Leading Cause of Data Breaches

Watchdog Says Theft is Leading Cause of Data Breaches

Burglaries and theft are the biggest causes of data security breaches, according to figures released by the Information Commissioner's Office. Of the 711 IT security breaches reported since the 25 million child benefit records went missing two years ago, 231 have involved theft. Under new proposals companies with inadequate security in place could face fines, ICO says.
“Since November 2007 we have taken action against 54 IT companies for the most reckless breaches. Some of these breaches would trigger a significant fine for organisations were they to occur after the introduction of monetary penalties in 2010,” says David Smith, deputy information commissioner.