"Dark Data: The Underestimated Cybersecurity Threat"

According to Donnelley Financial Solutions' cybersecurity report "Understanding Risk: The Dark Side of Data," dark data poses a significant cybersecurity threat to businesses in the US and the UK. Dark data is defined as data that a company has collected but no longer requires, which ranges from outdated user information to old employee records. This information is often forgotten and unprotected by organizations, thus creating significant liabilities as well as attractive targets for cybercriminals. The rise of dark data has overlapped with corporations' increased interest in amassing a diverse set of datasets, known as Big Data, that can be used to enhance marketing, product development, customer service, and a variety of other activities. Dark data is information that an organization has collected and stored over time that is unstructured, sensitive, personal, regulated, vulnerable, or high-risk. According to the report, which analyzed findings from finance, legal, HR, and IT professionals at large public and private companies in the US and the UK, nearly seven out of ten enterprise leaders believe data storage poses more risk than value. However, while 33 percent of senior leaders and IT personnel are aware of the dangers of dark data, 18 percent of others within organizations are not. This article continues to discuss the concept of dark data, the risk posed by dark data, and how to respond to dark data threats. 

Security Magazine reports "Dark Data: The Underestimated Cybersecurity Threat"