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Computer security is key for business and people must look to minimise the "window of opportunity" for attacks, one expert believes.

David Emm, a senior technology consultant at Kaspersky, said that the effects of any cyber attack and the resultant loss of data could be catastrophic for companies.

He explained: "You're not just talking about a potential hit to your organisation internally; you're talking about ramifications externally in terms of a loss of confidence and so on."

Mr Emm said that people should employ what he termed a "layered approach" to PC security. He suggested people use firewalls, anti-spam and anti-virus software as well as considering encrypting data kept on mobile devices such as laptops.

Research conducted by Websense found that 90 per cent of businesses had suffered an attack by a hacker in the past year.

According to a recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent).