Details

  • Service: Advisory
  • Type: Press release
  • Date: 7/2/2012

CEE Data Theft Survey 2012 

Leading consumer markets and retail companies in Central and Eastern Europe are concerned that the risk of data theft is on the increase.

 

A recent survey conducted by KPMG across 44 of the leading consumer markets and retail companies operating in nine countries in Central and Eastern Europe indicates the following:
 

• The vast majority of respondents perceive data theft as a significant risk to their business. Furthermore, more than half of the respondents believe that the risk of data theft will increase over the next three years;

 

• Most respondents do not have formal processes to assess the risks of data theft in their organisations. Many respondents are also not satisfied with the measures they have in place to mitigate the risk of data theft;


• Employees are generally seen as the most likely perpetrators of data theft, with mid-level management posing the greatest perceived risk;


• The data perceived to be most at risk are data related to strategy and planning;


 

• The use of removable media such as USB sticks is recognised as a significant risk by most respondents, yet few indicated that they had measures in place to deal with this threat.

 

Jimmy Helm, Head of Forensic for KPMG in Central and Eastern Europe, comments:

 

“The survey results reflect that companies recognise that their employees present the highest risk as perpetrators of data theft as they inevitably have access to sensitive company data in the normal course of business. Our recent investigations for clients have indicated that this risk is increased by the pressures that the turbulent economic situation in the CEE region place on the employee, who finds his employment more and more under threat, and who is more willing than ever before to use this information for financial reward, or to even secure his employment with the competition.”


Quentin Crossley, Partner, Risk Consulting in KPMG in Slovakia comments:

 

“Regular risk assessment is critical and should be extended to include reviews of the implementation of new countermeasures against data theft and improvements to existing countermeasures as the risks evolve. Proactive analysis of a wide range of systems and data sources within the organisation in order to identify and respond to actual occurrences in a timely manner is also a very important part of the efforts to combat data theft.”

 

Rudolf Sedmina, Head of IT Risk Advisory Services in KPMG in Slovakia comments:
 
“Despite the consistent perception that data theft poses a high risk, relatively few companies have performed a robust risk review of their data, categorised their data according to confidentiality and sensitivity or imposed appropriate controls over user access to that data.

 

“Of particular concern is the fact that most companies have failed to implement appropriate countermeasures against the threat posed by removable media.”

 

ENDS


For further information, contact:

 

KPMG Slovensko spol. s r.o.
Beata Dubenova 
Head of Markets and Marketing  
+421 915 758 925 
bdubenova@kpmg.sk


About KPMG International

 

KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 150 countries and have 138,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

KPMG in Slovakia is an independent member firm of the global KPMG network of professional services firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. Active in Slovakia since 1991, the firm currently employs more than 280 people and has 10 partners. KPMG in Slovakia provides a wide range of audit, tax and advisory services to domestic as well as international companies across all major industries. KPMG’s activities in Slovakia are focused on building long-term relationships both internally and externally. Our people are committed to quality and integrity and providing the service our clients expect.

 

Contact us

KPMG Slovensko spol. s r.o.
Dvořákovo nábrežie 10
811 02 Bratislava

P. O. Box 7
820 04 Bratislava 24


tel.: +421 2 59984 111
fax: +421 2 59984 222
email: skmarketing@kpmg.sk