Burglary Figures May Highlight BYOD Data Risk

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One potential risk to companies operating bring your own device (BYOD) may be the risk that such items can be lost or stolen outside the office.

The risk of burglary is a case in point, as items like hard drives and memory sticks could be stolen during a break-in.

December is known to be a favourite month for such robberies, as the dark nights offer less chance of being spotted, while the fact that the residents may be out at parties and have presents stored inside mean there are both opportunities aplenty and rich pickings once entry has been gained.

A survey by insurer RIAS revealed that December 2012 saw a 25 per cent year-on-year rise in burglaries, with Bradford seeing the highest rate of thefts. London came second on this list, followed by Manchester, Leeds, Oldham, Milton Keynes, Coventry, Huddersfield, Sheffield and the Surrey town of Redhill.

Managing director at RIAS Peter Corfield remarked: "All property owners need to ensure that whatever their property size, they take the time this November and December to check their security measures, particularly around windows and back doors. It’s important that we make sure crime doesn’t pay for the UK’s opportunistic thieves and that people feel safe and secure in their homes."

However, in the case of electronic devices there are extra security measures that can be taken. The survey showed that laptops were among the most popular items for thieves, so the loss of data contained on them may be a significant risk.

One way to help protect company information is to use remote data storage and encryption. This will help to back-up data so that if items are lost or stolen, the information on them can still be accessed by those who are authorised to view and use it – while remaining safe from those who are not.

A recent case of a major data breach involving the loss of a data storage item was that of an unencrypted memory stick in Lincolnshire, which contained sensitive information on schoolchildren with special needs.

The Information Commissioner’s Office fined North East Lincolnshire Council over the incident.

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highlight BYOD data risk. December 2, 2013. Storetec.