UK data fears confirmed: breaches rise by 58 per cent

The Information Commissioner's Office has revealed here that although businesses are taking the protection of their customers’ data more seriously, in fact more breaches were being reported and fewer than half of all individuals believe companies treat personal data appropriately. Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham said:

“I’m encouraged that the private sector is waking up to its data protection responsibilities, with unprompted awareness of the Act’s principles higher than ever. However, the sector does not seem to be putting its knowledge to good use. The fact is that security breaches in the private sector are on the rise, and public confidence in good information handling is declining. Businesses seem to know what they need to do – now they just need to get on with doing it. It’s not just the threat of a £500,000 fine that should provide the incentive. Companies need to consider the damage that can be done to a brand’s reputation when data is not handled properly. Customers will turn away from brands that let them down.”