Seventy-five per cent of UK organisations think their applications contain security holes that could invite criminals, according to survey for the Infosecurity Europe conference.

And a panel of 20 chief security officers expressed concern deep concern about the security of application code and the development work carried out by third parties.

Criminals are finding it easier to evade the law, so organisations must be one step ahead, said Claire Sellick, event director, Infosecurity Europe.

“With the relentless move online by all sorts of business and government agencies, e-crime will continue to evolve," she said.

"As more coffee shops and libraries offer free, anonymous WiFi access, tracking down cybercriminals will get harder. So as hackers evolve, so must efforts to defeat them.”

The survey covered 757 UK organisations across a range of sectors.