Small and medium sized enterprises whose employees deal with sensitive customer details have been warned ensure that all company laptops are secure.
The warning comes after building society Nationwide was fined nearly £1 million after an unencrypted employee laptop was stolen and sensitive customer details were obtained.
Near-uncrackable encryption software costs less than £100 and ensures that businesses are protected against liability laws, said IT security firm Wick Hill.
"With the ever-increasing use of laptops out of the office, their vulnerability to theft and the availability now of low-cost security solutions, it is time for companies to take the leap to securing laptops," said Ian Kilpatrick of Wick Hill.
"By doing so they not only protect key data from potential exposure but also meet their regulatory obligations."
Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that their customers' personal information is kept safe under data protection laws.
