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Effects of data theft eradicated through data encryption

DISUK compel businesses to implement a data encryption strategy

18th May 2007 - Data encryption vendor DISUK has responded to recent reports of 'data theft' from high profile companies, proclaiming that the resulting effects can be eradicated if organisations take simple steps to encrypt their data.

The announcement follows numerous high-profile examples of companies that have lost both employees' and customers' financial and personal data either through theft or misplacement, such as leaving a sensitive information rich laptop in a taxi.

For example, in May high-street chain Marks and Spencer was forced to send letters out to around 26,000 employees after it emerged that a laptop containing private information, such as employees name and salary details, had been stolen while en-route to a printing company.

Rob Gretton, business development director at DISUK, said identity theft or information misuse as a result of data theft was avoidable through encryption.

"Data will go missing or be stolen, that is inevitable. But there should be no reason for anyone to be worried because encryption means no-one can use that data once they do get hold of it," he said./p>

DISUK specialise in storage security products based around the Paranoia family of in-line encryption units. Paranoia2 offer a range of interfaces that allow for SCSI LVD, SCSI HVD, Fibre Channel and iSCSI hosts and SCSI LVD, SCSI HVD, fibre channel tapes and Plasmon UDO.

DISUK also produce the SafeTape range of encrypted tape solutions using LTO-2 & 3 and SuperDLT600 drives with the option of SCSI, Fibre channel or iSCSI interfaces.

Gretton added that businesses should first analyse their storage strategy to ascertain when their data is backed-up, such as each night, and to what medium, such as to disk or tape.

Businesses should then consider at what point in the data lifecycle they encrypt their data. For example, either inline as the data is being created or, as typically observed with tape storage, encrypted once data is written off to a cheaper medium for long-term storage.

David Galton-Fenzi, group sales director at DISUK distributor Zycko, said: "Data encryption is as vital as locking your front door. While your house contains all our most treasured possessions, a storage device contains not only company sensitive information, such as accounting details, but the sensitive information of your employees, such as salary details and national insurance numbers.

"Organisations big and small must all wake up to the fact that once data is out of your hands, it could be used in any number of potentially detrimental ways," he said.

Earlier this year a survey of over 500 businesses discovered that fewer than one in 10 UK companies use full encryption across their networks, with barely half of respondents using any form of encryption at all and only 10 per cent encrypting their backup tapes.

For more information please visit Zycko's online Media Office.

About DISUK Limited

DISUK Limited is a British company specialising in design and manufacture of data storage encryption systems for corporate, finance, government and military customers.

Founded in 2004, it is the only privately funded independent provider of data storage encryption. DISUK's headquarters are in Silverstone, the home of British motor racing and it supports global sales through a network of established data storage and security distributors.

More information about DISUK and its encryption products.