Users must be aware of how easy it can be for another person to steal passwords or hack into bank accounts online, it has been asserted.

Simon Heron, an internet security analyst at Network Box, explained that hackers are getting much cleverer in their approach to identity and data theft, with some perhaps even leaving systems needing disaster recovery.

He assessed the situation: "One of the things we have got to face in the current environment is that there are a lot of phishing attacks, there are a lot of keyloggers and a lot of trojans out there.

"So, if you're using a password, even if you have a very good password, it is still going to be pinched," Mr Heron continued, noting that it can be easily fed back to the criminal regardless of its complexity.

He also noted that it's still getting easier for hackers to get hold of information, highlighting the need for security as people now have the ability to get hold of databases with usernames and passwords which have been lost in high profile cases.

In such situations, criminals have "got a real treasure trove" to go off, highlighting data loss protection and the need for security measures even further.

In a report he wrote earlier this month, Mr Heron explained that identity fraud is still increasing, particularly card-not-present (CNP) fraud.

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 online backup.