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The number of companies experiencing more than five data breaches in the last 12 months rose to 22%, compared with 13% in 2008, according to PGP Corp., a Menlo Park, Calif.-based data protection company.
While 78% of organizations have an encryption strategy in place and are moving toward a more consistent approach to data protection, data breaches continue to rise, according to the survey's findings.
Some 85% of survey respondents experienced at least one data breach in the last 12 months, compared with 84% in 2008. The annual study, conducted by Traverse City, Mich.-based privacy research group The Ponemon Institute, surveyed 997 information technology leaders, analysts and executives.
Approximately 58% of the respondents reported that data protection is a "very important" part of their overall risk management and 22% said it is an "important part." Additionally, as organizations increasingly rely on mobile technology and personal digital assistants, or PDAs, as their primary computing platform, 26% indicate they encrypt a smart phone or PDA most of the time, while 51% said they never do.
"Organizations are looking for more complete solutions that can protect their data wherever it may reside," Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of The Ponemon Institute, said in a news release. "The focus for 2010 needs to be on applying a strategic approach to data security across the enterprise."
More than 70% of respondents said they have executed or just launched a data-encryption strategy within their organization. More than three-fourths of organizations, 78%, have some type of encryption strategy, up from 74% in 2008 and from 66% in 2007.
"This year's research clearly demonstrates that compliance, breaches and brand damage are driving companies to deploy more data protection solutions," said Phillip Dunkelberger, president and CEO of PGP Corp. "The risk migration goal is clear; take a more strategic approach to protect your data at rest, in motion and in use."
