Businesses are being warned about the increasing number of significant fines being issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office for business data breaches.
The ICO has More than 60 different monetary penalties are available to the ICO, and any of them can be actioned when an organisation fails to protect its data – the biggest fine being up to £17m or four per cent of annual turnover (depending on which one is the largest).
Paul Wallis, a privacy information management expert at Hantec Systems, warns business owners that the biggest threat of a breach are within an organisation, often resulting from insufficient staff training and awareness.
He said: “Many organisations do not know how to spot a potential ransom attack, or do not realise the potential consequences of their non-deliberate actions, putting itself at a higher risk of being fined by the ICO.
“But to reduce the risks of fines, it is vital for business owners to implement robust industry-standard management systems (ISOs).
“ISO systems are good business practice and ensure organisations have policies and procedures in place which reduce business errors that could lead to extremely large fines from the ICO.
“If a business is caught out by the ICO it could have very serious consequences for the organisation and its staff. The biggest mistake we all make in life is thinking that it will never happen to us. Be sure to protect yourself and business wherever possible.”
Paul has recently enhanced his expertise in GDPR and Data Protection issues through a privacy management development course which ensures he is best qualified to advise clients of the steps they need to take to maintain compliant.
