Small business owners have been warned that over 40% of staff have taken sensitive data from a business to a new job and a third would pass on company information if it proved useful in getting friends or family a job, according to a survey by Cyber-Ark.

Employers need to tighten up procedures, with 57% of respondents stating that it's become a lot easier to take sensitive information from their firm this year, up from 29% last year.

The survey also revealed that almost half of the respondents would take company information with them if they were fired tomorrow and 39% of people would download company information if they got wind that their job was at risk. A quarter of workers said that the recession has meant that they feel less loyal towards their employer.

"This survey shows that many workers are willing to do practically anything to ensure job security or make themselves more marketable - including committing a crime. While there is no excuse for employees who are willing to compromise their ethics to save their job, much of the responsibility for protecting sensitive proprietary data is the responsibility of the employer," said Mark Fullbrook, UK Director of Cyber-Ark.