IT contractors may be required to help firms deal with the ever-increasing number of data security breaches.

The total number of cyber attacks on UK business continues to increase, according to research from Imperva, with malicious intentions being behind 62 per cent of data thefts.

Amichai Shulman, the company's chief technical officer, says that more mature infrastructure levels mean that the number of cyber attacks occurring will always increase.

With the present infrastructure, hackers can get straight at the data layer, which is where the valuable information is kept, Mr Shulman says.

He went on: "It is not that organisations should not care for the infrastructure but they should start looking at the next level.

"When trying to create protection around the data, organisations need to look at all shapes of data around the organisation."

Mr Shulman does concede, however, that companies on the whole are getting better at defending themselves from threats.