InfoSecurity show proves anything but

The InfoSecurity show may have ended, but exhibitors were left with red faces after two companies highlighted major security lapses among attendees.

Kensington, manufacturers of laptop security devices, conducted regular sweeps of the hall and found less than half of the computers on stands with any kind of physical lock to keep them from being stolen.

"Walking around the show, at least 70 per cent of laptops in use on stands were unattended, unsecured and easily accessible for any passer-by to walk off with," said Ian Neale, corporate sales manager at Kensington.

"It's ironic that these software companies are selling solutions to protect valuable data, but have completely overlooked the fact that the easiest way to steal data is to pick up the device it's held on and simply take it away."

Meanwhile, delegates themselves were behaving in just such a slipshod manner. PR company Cohesive Communications stationed a member of its team outside Olympia as the exhibition was closing who asked delegates for their entry badges.

"Out of 200 people I asked 150 gave me their badges," said Kira Hutchinson, senior account executive at Cohesive.

"I wasn't wearing anything identifying me as an organiser but everyone just handed me their entrance cards that could then be used by anyone to get entry."

InfoSecurity is the UK's largest trade show devoted entirely to IT security.