UK councils have disclosed almost 1,500 data breaches in a year, according to a survey.
Research by encrypted USB drive manufacturer Apricorn also says more than 600 devices including computers and hard drives were lost or stolen in 2022.
The findings come from freedom of information requests answered by 27 councils into the number of data breaches and security of devices held by their employees.
It found that Suffolk County Council alone had 651 incidents in the year up to September 2022, while Warwickshire County Council had 367, North Yorkshire County Council 259 and Essex County Council disclosed 168.
However, the report’s authors say that although the figures seem high, they reveal that the councils are doing the right thing when it comes to disclosing data security incidents.
Jon Fielding of Apricorn said: ‘Data breaches are a daily occurrence, but when local authorities are racking up hundreds in a very short space of time, it’s a definite sign that something is amiss.
‘When the first breach occurs, organisations should be looking to address the cause and rectify this as soon as possible.’
