A better back up
Mark Sear, Director at Altirium Limited, advocates the importance of up-to-date technology and storage capability in avoiding data loss disaster

In defence of data
Staff training is often a casualty in times of economic strife, but making cuts can be disastrous where data protection is concerned, suggests Dr Chris Pounder, Director of Amberhawk Training Ltd…

Personal data – there's a culture of change
Guardian journalist and free-data campaigner Michael Cross, who chaired Public Service Events' Information Governance conference in London on 20 May, asks how we can balance the need to protect information against the need to make it more available

Decrypting security: a smarter approach to data handling
Data is a strategic asset, according to Carla Baker, and one that should be treated with great importance. In this article she explains how government is working to shed its bad data security image and the future challenges it faces

Reasons to be cheerful, despite the challenges
As a career civil servant of some 30 years experience Lesley Strathie knows what it's like to work on the frontline. She tells Alison Thomas how she plans to achieve greater efficiency within HMRC through a change of culture among her demoralised 'people'

Where should the blame lie with data security?
If a shortcut is available, then staff will inevitably take it. Nick Lowe, Check Point's regional director for northern Europe, explains how large organisations can ensure that staff find the quickest route without endangering data in the process

Chain of trust
As the government launches its cyber security strategy, Wayne Grundy explains how the Ministry of Defence has already been working to secure its sensitive information and the approach required by global organisations to do the same

A balance must be struck with public sector data sharing
Society must develop a rational way forward that balances the efficiencies gained through greater data sharing but also respects a citizen's civil liberties, says Andrew Miller. He tells Michael Thame how it might be done

A delicate balance is required to achieve information security
The UK once led the world in information security, yet it is now synonymous with data losses. David Chadwick, a professor of information systems security, outlines what is required to get effective information security

Much will be lost if data security is not addressed
Major government databases have been branded 'almost certainly illegal' with calls for some to be scrapped or fundamentally redesigned. Nigel Jones says the first step to success of any future database is good data security

Keep the faith with secure IT
Not one single data loss has been the fault of a secure government network, Software AG's Tim Holyoake says. Therefore, government must stay focused on implementing these systems and thus eliminate the need to use the real criminal – removable media

Do not view technology as a panacea for data security
Despite technology's mantle as the 'go-to' solution for data loss prevention, Raj Samani, of the Information Systems Security Association's UK Chapter, considers taking a more proactive approach to information security

Information security must be taken more seriously
As it emerges that departments still have lax data security practices, the Cyber Security Knowledge Transfer Network's director, Nigel Jones, calls for collaboration across the sectors and says staff must be convinced of personal data's value before they will protect it better

We need to pick up the pace in the digital revolution
British cities are in danger of being left behind in the race to put more information and services online. Dean Carroll looks at what's happening elsewhere in the world and what some local authorities are doing to catch up

NHS IT infected – how dangerous could that be?
As experts predict that cybercrime and electronic attacks will increase, Professor Steven Furnell tells Mike Lowe of the risks faced by an organisation the size of the NHS and how dangerous an infection could be across the network