Dark data represents the biggest potential cybersecurity exposure for businesses, according to a special cybersecurity edition of the DealMaker Meter report Understanding Risk: The Dark Side of Data.
Dark data is defined as data that a company has collected but no longer needs – ranging from outdated customer information to old employee records – dark data is often forgotten and unprotected by corporations, creating substantial liabilities as well as tempting targets for cybercriminals.
The Cybersecurity Insights Report released by DFIN, the leading provider of financial software solutions, has found that over half of business decision-makers report that cybersecurity incidents in their businesses have increased over the past 12 months.
The study of Finance, HR, Legal and IT professionals in the UK and the United States found that cyberthreats are on the increase: phishing (52%), data breaches (50%), cybersecurity regulations (45%) and data fraud (42%).
More support for cybersecurity needed from UK boards
The report also found that support for proactive cybersecurity measures from board members in the UK could be lacking. Only a third (33%) of business leaders in the UK strongly agreed that their board members are aware of and supportive of information security and data protection initiatives, in contrast to 58% strongly agreeing there is board-level support for cybersecurity initiatives in the United States.