Laptop loss putting data at risk

After all the scare stories about MI5 officers leaving their laptops in pubs it seems that people are still unable to look after their mobile computers.

A survey of 500 information security professionals conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that more than 80 per cent of firms have put critical data at risk by losing a laptop containing sensitive information in the past 12 months. 

The US Department of Transportation has lost two laptops in Florida recently, one stolen from a conference room in Orlando on 24 April and the second half-inched in July from a government vehicle in Miami.

The latter contained the names, addresses, birthdates and social security numbers of some 133,000 Florida residents.

According to security experts, laptops and PDAs are stolen to order by cyber-criminals because they offer one of the easiest ways to bypass company security and access sensitive data.

Ponemon's report suggested that the problem is companies not knowing where critical data resides.

Some 64 per cent of respondents had never conducted an audit of sensitive data, so it leaks out on laptops, mobiles and USB data sticks without anyone knowing.

The Ponemon phenomenon has been known to security consultants for some time. "Too many IT managers still think that the essence of security is to harden the perimeter of their network against internet hacks and worms," said one security specialist.

"But that is so 1999 and all it does is protect bits of the physical infrastructure while critical data is whizzing around unprotected on laptops and email-enabled mobiles outside the perimeter fence."

The increasingly mobile nature of business means that data has to be protected wherever it resides. For mobile devices, that means using encryption.

See also:

Unisys offers $50,000 reward for AWOL PC

Veterans' medical details go missing  17 Aug 2006

UK firms gamble with customer data

44 per cent using live information to test applications  04 Jul 2006

NHS slammed for ignoring mobile data security

Patient records and other sensitive data at risk  27 Jun 2006

Financial data theft up 410 per cent

Security firm reports huge surge in attacks over Easter weekend  22 Apr 2006

Man stabbed as laptop thefts rocket

Hardware the new black in mugging terms  11 Apr 2006

US firms admit losing control of customer data

Resulting average revenue losses running at six per cent  29 Mar 2006

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