02/10/2008

A lack of data protection by employers is putting British workers at risk of ID theft, according to research.

CPP, a life assistance company, found that six in ten workers have been at risk of ID theft because of their bosses' policies, while 91 per cent of businesses have not tightened their data protection policies despite the recent high-profile data breaches.

Further to this, a quarter of employers admitted to taking staff's personal information off the premises, 19 per cent said they left personal information on their desks, while ten per cent owned up to storing sensitive material on USB sticks or not shredding personal data.

'Companies are holding increasing amounts of their workforce's personal information, exposing employees to potential impersonation,' said Danny Harrison, a CPP identity theft expert.

'Employers have a responsibility to protect their staff, yet it seems a week doesn't go by without a company or government department reporting a loss of data.'

He added that the Economist Intelligence Unit has said that 85 per cent of businesses have experienced one or more serious data breaches in the last year, a 22 per cent increase since the 2007.