A study by a nonprofit group that works to prevent fraud takes note of a news report that insurers and other businesses, governments and universities disclosed a 69 percent increase in data breaches in the first half of 2008 compared with a similar period in 2007.

The Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego tracked 342 data-breach reports from Jan. 1 to June 27, said a Washington Post story. More than one-third of the reports came from businesses, a 27 percent increase over total breaches in 2007.

The center found that data breaches among health care providers and banks also increased. They now account for 15 percent and 10 percent of the breaches, respectively.

Hacking was the least-cited cause of data breaches in the first six months of this year. Instead, lost or stolen laptops and other digital storage media remain the most frequently cited cause of data breaches, accounting for more than 20 percent of all reported cases, the article noted.

Within the insurance industry, Willis Group Holdings brokerage said recently that the company along with police was investigating the loss of an unspecified amount of computer data affecting a number of clients and employees.

In a statement that was limited in detail Willis said it was looking into the loss of data on backup tapes. The loss occurred recently while in transit to a storage facility. Willis said the tapes "were inadvertently misplaced."

The brokerage is working with law enforcement to recover the tapes and an investigation is continuing.

Citing the involvement of law enforcement, a spokesman for the firm said he could not say where the tapes were lost or how many individuals could be affected. He did say the loss was not global and it affected a small portion of clients and Willis associates.

Special Reports /

Report: Data Breaches Up 69 Percent

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