Negligent insiders are the leading cause of data breaches at U.S. companies and public sector agencies, according to a new study by the Ponemon Institute. At the same time, malicious or criminal attacks are on the rise and are more costly to organizations than data breaches triggered by employees or system glitches, according to the study.

In its report, the 2011 Cost of Data Breach Study, the Michigan-based research organization found that 39% of data breaches in the U.S. involved employee negligence. Keep reading →