22 Jan 2010

Staff understanding 'is integral to data security'

Companies could improve their data security by making the issue relevant to their staff, it has been claimed.

Federal Computer Week reported by making the problem more understandable and highlighting the consequences of poor data security to members of staff, businesses could tighten their IT infrastructure security and make it more difficult for hackers or other malicious individuals to infiltrate a network.

"We have found the best return is to relate training topics to people in their personal lives ... If they pay attention in their home life, that will naturally translate to work life," Carolyn Schmidt, program manager for IT security awareness, training and education at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told the publication.

Elsewhere, Eweek recently reported many companies could benefit from investment in continuous data protection.

The technology does not have to be expensive to install and can boost productivity and enable firms to recover more quickly from a crisis, the publication noted.