A survey issued at the start of the week from the Ponemon Institute will likely have companies worried, as it was revealed more than 60 percent of people surveyed admitted they took confidential company information with them when they left.

Researchers surveyed 945 total people who have switched jobs or been laid off in the past 12 months and found that 59 percent of people who stole information, with most of them taking e-mail lists with them. Of those surveyed, 45 percent took non-financial business information, 39 percent took customer information, 35 percent took employee records, and just 16 percent took financial information.

"The survey's findings should sound the alarm across all industries: your sensitive data is walking out the door with your employees," said Larry Ponemon, Ponemon Institute chairman and founder.  "Our research suggests that a great deal of data loss is preventable through the use of clear policies, better communication with employees, and adequate controls on data access."

Around 61 percent of people who took data took it in paper form, with 53 percent burning it to a CD or DVD, and 42 percent transferring the information with them on a USB thumb drive.  Not surprisingly, about 61 percent said they had an unfavorable view of the previous employer, while 79 percent said their previous employers wouldn't allow them to keep the information.

Almost 70 percent of people interviewed said the information they took was confidential, sensitive or proprietary, and could be used to help secure a new position with a different company -- the same amount of people said they planned to use the stolen data to help secure a new job.

As the ability to e-mail, burn or copy information to a portable hard drive or thumb drive continues to become even more convenient, companies will have to try and create safety barriers to properly protect their information from possible theft of exiting employees.