Businesses warned over disgruntled employees

Firms are being reminded to make sure they have in place adequate information security procedures to protect any sensitive or valuable data.

A survey commissioned by LogRhythm discovered that one in ten members of staff have taken data from their employer once they have handed in their notice.

In particular, staff have copied information from their company’s contact databases, while some may have obtained details about future products and services to take to their new employer.

The study revealed one in six took the step of arriving at the workplace early so they would have the opportunity to harvest the data without being caught.

A spokesperson for LogRhythm said: “Sometimes, trust isn’t enough and all employers should have systems in place to stop ex, or soon-to-be ex, members of staff from getting hold of information they shouldn’t have.”

However, many firms feel that staff can be trusted when it comes to not stealing vital company data. Research from CSO concluded that 44 per cent have confidence in their workers, although 37 per cent did admit that workers may steal data if they were given the opportunity to do so.

The increase of bring-your-own-devices to work has also increased the possible risk of vital information being accessed by a third party or for unscrupulous reasons.

Therefore, it is vital for firms to make sure the take steps to protect data and have adequate policies in place. It is expected that demand for staff trained in cyber-security skills will rise as the use of mobile devices continues to increase in the workplace.

According to the 2014 Information Security Breaches Survey, a total of 60 per cent of smaller firms admitted they have experienced some form of IT breach and that dealing with the impact of cybercrime is leading to unwanted costs.

The average cost of dealing with breaches rose for the third year in a row, with small businesses paying out between £65,000 and £115,000 following such an attack.

In the case of larger firms, the costs rose to as much as £1.15 million and highlights the growing importance of needing strong IT security measures.

“These results show that British companies are still under cyber-attack. Increasingly those that can manage cyber security risks have a clear competitive advantage,” explained David Willetts, the universities and science minister.