Companies need to work out the financial value of the data they hold, security specialists have said.
According to MWR InfoSecurity, most businesses now recognize that the information they possess helps to generate revenue.
Firms have therefore been encouraged to establish which data assets are the most important and lucrative.
MWR InfoSecurity then suggested they look at what potential hazards could threaten the most valuable ones.
Alex Fidgen, director at the company, said this would help companies ensure adequate data protection systems are put in place.
"In the modern day world, there are hardly any companies that haven't started to realize that the data they hold has value to them," he commented.
Mr Fidgen added that this is particularly true in the case of those businesses that rely heavily on data for revenue generation.
The advice comes after Simon Campbell, founder of Thesandpit.com, predicted data volumes could be about 50 times the current amount by 2020.