The senior accountant at Abacus Accounting, a small accountancy firm, has their laptop stolen from an interstate restaurant where they were conducting a dinner meeting with clients. The laptop contains nearly four weeks of data that has not been backed up to the main server. This is a significant loss. In addition, the accountant is now without use of a laptop and still has much client work to conduct.

The firm recognises that the use of laptops by accounting staff is critical, as is the information the laptops contain.

Abacus Accounting decides to develop a risk management plan that will mitigate or minimise such losses in the future.

Amongst other things, the plan contains details of:

protocols for safeguarding laptops whilst travelling

protocols for backing up data

procedures for updating the asset register with laptop warranty and insurance details

procedures for reporting the loss of the laptop and how to

practises to follow in order to expedite replacement

To whom should the plan be communicated and what communication procedures would be effective?