Unused email accounts pose a risk of ID fraud for internet-users, it has been reported.

According to the Daily Record, research from finance firm Capital One has suggested there are almost 300 million sets of personal details on the internet from abandoned services such as email accounts and newsletters.

It says experts have stated that such accounts could be targeted by fraudsters.

According to the news provider, ID fraud expert Professor Martin Gill of Leicester University said: "By obtaining somebody's personal details, an identity fraudster can apply for credit cards, loans and other financial products in that person's name."

Capital One has advised people to close down any accounts they no longer use.

Meanwhile, SC Magazine has reported a survey from McAfee which suggests small and medium-sized businesses are naive about the level of threat posed by cybercriminals.

Darrell Rodenbaugh, senior vice-president of the mid-market segment at McAfee, said that the small size of a firm does not make its computer network immune to security threats.

New research from Connect found that, on average, it takes businesses that use backup tapes take 11.6 hours to retrieve and restore files. Connect is now recommending that SMEs switch to www.connect.co.uk/services/online_backup