Data losses set to soar, predicts KPMG

KPMG's Data Loss Barometer predicts that the number of people affected by data loss around the world could soar to 190 million in 2009, compared to 92 million in the previous year, as the credit crunch deepens.

In the three months to November 2008 the number of people affected by data loss incidents (47.8 million) was more than for the first eight months of the year combined - and 38 per cent higher than the same period in 2007 (34.5 million).

The Data Loss Barometer research concludes that the total number of reported incidents for 2008 will be 427, compared to 2007 (412) - the highest annual figure recorded by KPMG since the firm began collecting the data in 2005.