The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) top five areas for improvement for small and medium-sized businesses are: Tell people what you are doing with their data; Make sure your staff are adequately trained; Use strong passwords; Encrypt all portable devices; and Only keep people’s information for as long as necessary. The ICO has also recommended that charities and third sector organizations do a data protection ‘check-up’, as they often handle sensitive information such as individuals’ medical details and are potentially more susceptible to encountering a serious data breach. An ICO advisory visit is offered free of charge to give small and medium-sized organizations the opportunity to discuss and receive practical advice from the ICO aimed at improving their data protection practices.
