New technologies that allow for remote access to data can help companies improve efficiency and productivity but can also increase risks. In fact, 83 percent of survey respondents in a recent CompTIA study said they believe data security and compliance threat levels are rising as technologies advance.

One of the biggest concerns that companies have is the easy access to sensitive data through a growing number of endpoints.

"Billions of devices connect to the internet daily, and with each touch point there's a potential for new security vulnerabilities," said CompTIA vice president of research Tim Herbert. "With more data being produced and touched by more people, the potential for data loss or leakage grows accordingly."

According to the study, nearly 20 percent of respondents said they lost sensitive data within the past year. The study also found that companies often have a weakness for protecting information in motion.

Encryption is an effective data loss prevention technique that businesses can use, whether it is static or not. Currently, 91 percent of companies use some form of encryption, according to an InformationWeek study. Respondents agreed the technology helps keep sensitive data better protected.