Large companies are failing to tackle data theft

The study, commissioned by LogLogic, found that three quarters of large companies admit that they do not have systems in place to trace potential data theft.

It also revealed that over 60 percent of those businesses that report to have data monitoring systems in place said it takes the organisation several days to identify security breaches involving data theft. The survey also found that only 20 per cent of respondents said that they are able to administer the appropriate forensics within one working day.

According to the research, 80 percent of those organisations that admitted they have no system to track data theft said that they are ‘concerned' and stated budget as the main factor for failing to address this.

Furthermore, 40 percent of those surveyed disclosed that they are not immediately aware when an employee leaves the organisation and over half revealed that they do not know how that worker's data is handled when they depart.

Ross Brewer, managing director of European operations for LogLogic, said: "Despite the potential liabilities and risk to their companies, it is startling that IT directors in the UK are largely unable to perform simple forensics to determine data theft.

"Equally disturbing is that relatively few companies even have the ability to properly monitor employee movements and the data linked to those employees, while acknowledging the awareness of the risks of reputation damage, theft of intellectual property and potential fraud."

Roy Illsley, senior research analyst at Butler Group, added: "While organisations have constructed elaborate defences to protect themselves from external threats most ignore the threat from within.

"Corporate data, some of which may be confidential, can be transferred via a wide range of methods allowing this data to be removed from the employer's data repository and used for nefarious purposes. It is vital that organisations recognise how simple it is for infringements to take place and take appropriate preventative action."

The survey sought the views of 100 senior IT directors in large businesses across the UK.

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