The SANS Institute says the greatest concern for businesses should be the security of their laptops as more companies replace desktops with notebooks. The mix of sensitive data being taken out of the organisation and a lack of encryption, coupled with incidences of human error that can see such devices lost or stolen means companies should make this issue a top priority.

The SANS report also said the theft of other mobile devices, such as PDAs and smart phones, will increase because of the value of the data they may contain.

Emerging threats from mobile phone viruses and VoIP should also be of concern, according to SANS.

Concerns about the security of VoIP have been around for as long as the technology but the growth in take-up means large enterprises must now take note, whereas previously the typical user was a home user.

The issue of mobile phone viruses is something that has split the security industry, with many branding it hype and accusing vendors of creating a market out of fear and uncertainty.