The number of data breaches in the private sector has skyrocketed this year, with 58 per cent more reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the 2011/12 period.
Yet the ICO said it was happy to see the private sector getting a grip on understanding the Data Protection Act, with many more realising the law required them to protect personal information.
However, a quarter of businesses still do not understand that the Data Protection Act requires them to protect personal information, as public confidence in how companies secure information has plummeted.
The fact is that security breaches in the private sector are on the rise, and public confidence in good information handling is declining.
An ICO survey showed three quarters of the general public believe online companies are not keeping their details safe.
Less than half of individuals surveyed believe organisations process their data in a fair and proper manner.
The fact is that security breaches in the private sector are on the rise, and public confidence in good information handling is declining.
"I'm encouraged that the private sector is waking up to its data protection responsibilities, with unprompted awareness of the Act's principles higher than ever. However, the sector does not seem to be putting its knowledge to good use," said information commissioner Christopher Graham.
"The fact is that security breaches in the private sector are on the rise, and public confidence in good information handling is declining. Businesses seem to know what they need to do now they just need to get on with doing it."
The ICO was pleased to see companies are finally recognising the regulator's role, even though 30 per cent still do not know it enforces the Data Protection Act.
Almost half of companies in the private sector did not understand the ICO was the guardian of the law. That was up from a fifth of private firms a year ago.
-
The race is on for Higher Ed to adapt: Equity in hyflex learningHyflex courses can improve student wellbeing and engagement, but only with meeting technology that leaves no one behind
-
Gen Z workers are keen on AI in the workplace – but they’re still skeptical about the hypeNews Younger workers could lead the shift to AI, but only think it can can manage some tasks
-
Scania admits leak of data after extortion attemptNews Hacker stole 34,000 files from a third-party managed website, trucking company says
-
23andMe 'failed to take basic steps' to safeguard customer dataNews The ICO has strong criticism for the way the genetic testing company responded to a 2023 breach.
-
Cyber attacks have rocked UK retailers – here's how you can stay safeNews Following recent attacks on retailers, the NCSC urges other firms to make sure they don't fall victim too
-
ICO admits it's too slow dealing with complaints – so it's eying up automation to cut staff workloadsNews The UK's data protection authority has apologized for being slow to respond to data protection complaints, saying it's been overwhelmed by increased workloads.
-
AI recruitment tools are still a privacy nightmare – here's how the ICO plans to crack down on misuseNews The ICO has issued guidance for recruiters and AI developers after finding that many are mishandling data
-
“You must do better”: Information Commissioner John Edwards calls on firms to beef up support for data breach victimsNews Companies need to treat victims with swift, practical action, according to the ICO
-
LinkedIn backtracks on AI training rules after user backlashNews UK-based LinkedIn users will now get the same protections as those elsewhere in Europe
-
UK's data protection watchdog deepens cooperation with National Crime AgencyNews The two bodies want to improve the support given to organizations experiencing cyber attacks and ransomware recovery
