Data Theft Facts

Did you know ?

 
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Theft or loss of a computer or data storage medium, such as a USB memory key, made up 54% of all identity theft-related data breaches.1

The Federal Trade Commission estimates that the annual losses to business from data and identity theft amount to almost $50 billion.2


Source 1  Symantec Internet Security Threat Report – 2010
2  Federal Trade Commission



What is Data Theft?
The portability and accessibility of information are crucial components of a collaborative, interconnected business world. However, the problem with sharing information is that it can get shared with the wrong people.

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Whenever highly sensitive or regulated information is lost, misused, or compromised, it falls under the banner of data and identity theft. Intellectual property, personally identifiable information (birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses, etc.), trade secrets, employee and customer data, and payment card data are all examples of sensitive or regulated information

Data Theft Prevention
In recent years, an increasing number of high-profile data security breaches have made headlines. These events can not only expose a business to costly and devastating legal ramifications, they also can severely denigrate a brand – sometimes to the point of disrepair.

Computer users cannot afford to take this lack of data security lightly. Identity theft is rampant, accounting for approximately one-third of consumer complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission during each of the past three years. More than half (54%) of identity-theft-related data breaches can be attributed to theft or loss of a computer or electronic transportable media — a percentage unlikely to diminish.