Data loss prevention (DLP) is now considered a vital element of an organisation's overall business strategy, a new report has found.

Research carried out by IT analyst IDC found that the increased value of digital information, tighter regulations and industry best practice means that firms of all sizes are eager to safeguard data.

It found that 81 per cent of organisations it surveyed now feel that protecting data is a key part of their operations.

Brain Burke, programme director for security products and services at IDC, said: "A number of high-profile incidents have raised awareness of the growing data-leakage problem.

"The leaking of customer records, confidential information, and intellectual property, has caused explosive demand for solutions that protect against the deliberate or inadvertent release of sensitive information."

However, if the worst does happen and data is lost, firms that have invested in a disaster recovery system should be able to restore the lost information.

Earlier this month, Computerweekly.com reported that supermarket chain Somerfield has put in place a new business continuity plan aimed at protecting its business critical processes.

A recent survey for Connect found that one in ten companies has lost important data as a result of a backup failure. The company has now developed a unique online backup service - http://www.totalrecall.co.uk – for SMEs to ensure they can survive any disaster