Data security will continue to be a critical area of concern in 2010. Numbers of reported data security breaches continue to rise and we face the real danger of a collapse of critical infrastructure as a result of a breach. So far the most serious data losses have been as a result of either mishandling or negligence and therefore the consequences have been relatively minor. A more serious threat comes from malicious breaches, either by cyber-criminals and hackers or from those inside the organisation.
2010 will see both the Information Commission and the European Union ramp up regulation, with the emergence of a new legal framework for data security. Organisations will need to put in place robust security plans as April 2010 sees the introduction of financial penalties for serious data mishandling as well as jail sentences for data theft. The EU will soon commence work on creating a pan-European requirement for breach disclosure which is likely to be in force in 2015.
