UK Information Commissioner’s Office Warns Organizations To Prevent Mistakes, As Data Losses Exceed 1,000 Events
The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office has warned organisations that they need to minimise the risk of mistakes, as the number of reported data breaches exceeds 1,000.
An ICO report revealed that 254 breaches were as a result of information being disclosed in error, 307 were as a result of stolen data or hardware and 233 due to lost data or hardware.
David Smith, deputy commissioner at the ICO, said: “We all know that mistakes can happen but, the fact is that human error is behind a high proportion of security breaches that have been reported to us. Extra vigilance is required so that people’s personal information does not end up in the wrong hands.
“Organisations should have clear security and disclosure procedures that staff can understand, properly implement these and ensure that they are being followed by staff. Staff must be adequately trained not just in the value of personal information, but in how to protect it.
“We are keen to work with organisations to prevent breaches happening in the first place and to help ensure that things are put right when they do go wrong.”