National Data Security Review Week

A recent study carried out by David Ewen Marketing into data security measures being taken by a cross section of business and organisations, suggests that the time has now come for each and every business and organisation to urgently review the way they protect their data. Currently, the security of company and personal information is, on-the-whole, woefully inadequate.

Whether it be confidential company information on research and development, customer or supplier details, patient files or personal finance info, there is a huge and growing market for each and every piece of lost or stolen data

Every company, organisation or business that holds confidential or third-party (your) information must wake-up to the fact that a full data security review must be addressed now from the ground floor up. It is essential that it is impressed upon all staff that data protection is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation and not just the IT team.

Let me be quite clear on the scale of the problem we are facing. We don’t have to be talking about “Top-Secret” information at government or local authority level.

Everyone, it seems, collects information these days for the benefits of marketing and sales. It may be just your e-mail address; it could be your home address and telephone number, or even your full personal details.

This type of information is routinely surrendered by the public daily, to many businesses and organisations who may have absolutely no idea of their responsibilities in holding this data, and little or no idea of how to actually secure the data. Everyone from the local tyre fitter and the garden centre, to the bank and insurance broker wants your details.

Can they be trusted with your details? Who can tell?

There have recently been calls for the Information Commissioner to have new powers to make spot checks on government departments and businesses to ensure that correct practice is being followed. UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has also argued for much tighter data protection laws in Britain, insisting that those who lose data should end up in court.

Given the recent spate of data breaches at HMRC, Local Authorities, NHS trusts and now Home Office contractors, perhaps the Information Commissioner's approach is the only way to get people to take this problem seriously.

Now is the time to have a National Data Security Review week, where these issues and many more can be addressed for the benefit of the whole country, because right now there are thousands of data-loss time-bombs ticking away and it’s your data that will be dispersed into the eager hands of the criminal elements when the fuse goes.
If you are serious about the security of the data that you hold or are concerned that your details are not being looked after properly then sign our petition and tell the government you want action now.

No more excuses. No more naive lapses. No more fundamental errors.

Details on the essential steps to take to safeguard the confidential information your business holds, can be downloaded in a free mini-report from:
www.davidewen.co.uk/minireport.html