The importance of social identities

Abstract

Barely a week goes by without news of another data breach hitting the headlines. For example, recent reports show that local authorities saw 1,035 data losses or thefts between July 2008 and July 2011 in the UK alone. Of course, it is not just the public sector that suffers. The disturbing rash of data breaches in recent years has demonstrated that data security (always of great concern to CTOs and CFOs) affects every company and its customers. Entertainment sites, clothing retailers, grocers and financial services institutions are only the latest and most obvious organisations to have had IT systems compromised.