The survey, which took in responses from around 5000 consumers, and which was carried out by an independent agency, found that four out of five respondents felt that companies should be subjected to a US-style data breach disclosure law, forcing them to publicly declare data loss incidents.
LogRhythm, the research's sponsor, says that respondents were in no doubt about the need for stronger government intervention with 70% believing there needs to be more prescriptive regulations.
The audit and data compliance specialist adds that many people thought there should be tougher penalties with 62% feeling that organisations should receive large fines and 31% going as far as to suggest company directors should be subject to criminal proceedings.
Commenting on the survey results, Ross Brewer, LogRhythm's vice president for EMEA, said that, whilst responding to the recent European Commission personal data protection strategy document, the European data protection supervisor came out in support of wide-ranging reform of data protection laws.
These, he said, included the implementation of mandatory data breach notifications.
"Our research suggests there is solid public support for such moves", he said, adding that data from the ICO shows that data breaches are still rife in the UK.
"There is now a common desire to see definite steps taken to force organisations to clean up their act", he noted.
Brewer went on to say that the message to organisations couldn't be clearer: "those taking a lax approach to data security won't just lose face, they will also lose customers."