There has been a 17 per cent growth in the number of apps and mobile websites identified as leaking sensitive data in the last three months, said UK security firm Wandera.

The firm said it is in touch with the site and app owners in the latest cases to point out causes of the leaks, which took place in the first three months of 2016. Among the new cases is the Hong Kong metro system, it said.

Wandera’s study covers data usage trends and traffic patterns across its network of enterprise (rather than consumer) devices.

In December last year, the firm announced the discovery of the Cardcrypt security flaw whereby the apps and mobile websites of 16 firms operating in the UK were shown to be transmitting users’ personal data, including card details, unencrypted.

More positively, the firm’s most recent study found a noticeable increase in browser and app encryption. It said 70 per cent of the data from apps is encrypted, an increase of 21 per cent in the last 12 months. Browser encryption increased by a lower figure of 13 per cent. Total encryption of data currently stands at only 52 per cent.

“It is of course a positive that encryption in browsers and in apps is increasing – but there is still an awfully long way to go, especially within browsers,” commented Eldar Tuvey, Wandera’s CEO.