Data breaches are, for most organisations, a crushing blow to their customers_ and staff_s confidence in them, to their reputation and brand value, and to the career prospects of senior executives.A data breach may be an even bigger calamity to the individuals whose data has been exposed to Internet criminals, to the press and, possibly, to malicious and ill-wishing acquaintances. Identity theft is a growing problem, and one which is inadequately policed. Individuals whose personal and/or financial data has been breached can find that their credit histories are compromised, and may have to spend years and substantial sums clearing their names.Provides essential support - putting measures in placeThose organisations that have a tried and tested procedure in place for dealing with data breaches will not only put themselves in a position to obey the current and emerging data breach legislation but, more importantly, will enable themselves to win back some respect from the customers whose data has been breached.This pocket guide provides essential support for organisations tackling this mission.This booklet cannot provide all the answers for every company, but it aims to provide a loose blueprint to ensure that you know what steps you must take to rectify the situation, which authorities you need to inform, and how to put measures in place to make sure the embarrassment of a data breach never darkens your door again.The information is drawn from various regulatory publications, and interviews with security experts, lawyers and software suppliers.