Warning to Recruitment businesses after latest government data loss

Recruitment businesses must learn tough lessons from the latest government data loss – and double check their own data is 100% secure.

IT director Paula Backen, from specialist recruitment computer support company Ulysses IT, believes the latest data loss is a useful wake up call for local firms.

Last week the Ministry of Defence admitted a contractor had lost a hard disc containing data on 1.7 million people who had applied to join the armed forces.

Paula said: ìMany businesses are as much at risk of losing vital data as the government is. Yet itís actually easy for businesses to ensure data is secure.

ìWe find business owners tend to be one extreme or the other. They either believe everyone wants their data and take huge steps to protect it, or they donít think their data is important. Many local businesses donít even take backups of data, let alone ensure it is secure.

ìYet 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.î

Paulaís business Ulysses IT has a series of precautions that are recommended to clients to keep data safe.

They include:

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

Paula added: ìYou donít have to be paranoid about data loss in your business. But you do need to ensure it is secure, so your business doesnít face the embarassment the government has faced.î

Ulysses IT provides computer support for recruitment businesses across the UK.

The business was established in 1998 and operates as an outsourced IT department for clients, mostly on a pay as you go basis.