Data hung out to dry

Data hung out to dry

Story by Newsdesk, 26-01-2010, 0 comment

Survey finds plenty of data still being left in suit pockets.

A survey has found that during 2009, 4,500 memory sticks have been forgotten in people’s pockets as they take their clothes to be washed at the local dry cleaners.

On the bright side, this is half the number of the same survey the previous year. However, Credant Technologies (who commissioned the survey) point out that from this April, if data is lost and it causes a major security breach, this could now cost a company up to £500k because of the new powers given to the Information Commissioner’s office (ICO) to fine companies who have not sufficiently protected customers details under the Data Protection Act.

Credant's interpretation of the drop in forgotten memory sticks is that users are downloading data to a wider range of devices including smartphones and netbooks, rather than being more careful.

Previous studies conducted by Credant Technologies amongst taxi drivers in London and New York found that over 12,500 handheld devices such as laptops, iPods and memory sticks are forgotten at the back of taxis every 6 months.

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