The UK Information Commissioner reports there were almost double the number of data loss incidents in the last 12 months when compared to the previous year.

In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from business infrastructure software firm Software AG, the Information Commissioner said there were 356 data loss incidents reported to its organisation, compared to 190 for the previous 12 months.

Under law, firms suffering a data loss are now obliged to report it to the Commissioner. The increase reported to the Commissioner is worrying considering the publicity given to previous high profile data loss incidents like the HM Revenue & Customs data disk loss, which exposed the personal details of 25m people.

The Commissioner may say the reporting regime is now working, when taking into account that many data loss incidents may have previously gone unreported. Although others will conclude that organisations have still not learned their lesson over the importance of data security.

"These figures should send shivers down the spine of any self- respecting IT security professional, said Andy Cordial, managing director of Origin Storage.

He said, "The figures show that 127 devices such as laptops were stolen and 71 incidents involved memory sticks, CDs and other data storage devices. And, incredibly, despite the infamous high-profile HMRC disk loss incident via a courier in March 2007, the data reveals that there were 24 incidents of data lost in transit via courier services in the year to September 2009."