2007 has earned the title as the worst year on record for data breaches. And while records have only been kept for a few years, it’s a reminder that now’s not the time to drop your guard.

There were an estimated 443 reported data breaches in 2007, a jump of 40% on the previous year. And that number does not include data breaches that were not reported, or worse, not detected.

Those breaches exposed more than 120 million personal records in the US alone, and one of those records could be yours. And while there’s little evidence to suggest that data breaches lead directly to identity theft, it’s little comfort to know that your personal information is now floating about the internet waiting to be grabbed and exploited by anyone from a petty opportunist thief to a very well-organized crime gang.

Don’t expect 2008 to be any better. Your data is a commodity and a business enabler and so will continue to be bought, sold, shared, and stored. And that means more opportunities to be lost, stolen, and exploited. Happy New Year!