T 0.45 Data Loss

Data loss is an event that leads to a situation where stored data cannot be used as required (loss of availability). A common form of data loss occurs when data is inadvertently or illegally deleted, for example by accidental misuse, malfunctions, power outages, pollution or malicious software.

Data loss may also occur due to damage, loss or theft of devices or data storage media. This risk is extremely high in case of mobile terminals and removable data storage media.

Furthermore, it should be noted that many mobile IT systems are not always online. The data stored on these systems is therefore not always up to date. When data is synchronised between the mobile and stationary IT systems, carelessness or malfunction may lead to loss of data.

Examples:

• A PDA falls out of a shirt pocket and shatters into pieces on the tiles, a mobile phone is retrieved by a dog instead of the newspaper, unfortunately with consequences. These and similar events are the causes of many total losses of data on mobile devices.
• There is malicious software that purposefully deletes data on infected IT systems. Some pests execute the delete function not immediately upon infection, but only when a defined event occurs, for example, if the system reaches a certain date.
• Many internet services can be used to store information online. If the password is forgotten, and is not stored, it may happen that the stored information cannot be accessed any more if the service provider does not offer a suitable method to reset the password.
• Hard drives and other storage media have a limited lifetime. If no suitable redundancy measures are undertaken, technical defects may result in loss of data.