How secure is your business data?

Recently the UK Ministry of Defence admitted that a contractor had lost a hard disc containing data on 1.7million people who had applied to join the armed forces. Backen says: "Many businesses are as much at risk of losing vital data as the government is. Yet it is actually easy for businesses to ensure data is secure.

"We find business owners tend to be at one extreme or the other. They either believe everyone wants their data and take huge steps to protect it, or they do not think their data is important. Many local businesses do not even take backups of data, let alone ensure it is secure.

"Yet data is vital to all businesses these days. No-one wants to have to ring their clients to admit confidential information has been lost. Worse than that, if a key employee walks out with data it can rip the heart out of a business."

Backen's business Ulysses IT has a series of precautions that it recommends to clients to keep data safe, including:

• Having written policies on data
• Making data protection and security part of the induction process
• Changing passwords when staff leave
• Removing opportunities for staff to steal data by disabling DVD writers and limiting the size of emails

Backen adds: "You do not have to be paranoid about data loss in your business. But you do need to ensure it is secure, so your business does not face the embarrassment the government has faced."

Ulysses IT provides computer support for manufacturers across the UK. Established in 1998, the business operates as an outsourced IT department for clients, mostly on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) basis.