The loss of data is an event which means that a database can no longer be used as required (loss of availability). A frequent form of data loss is that data is deleted accidentally or without authorisation, for example due to improper use, malfunctions, power failures, soiling or malware.

However, data may also be lost when devices or storage media are damaged, lost or stolen. This risk is often particularly high for portable terminal devices and mobile storage media.

Furthermore, it must be noted that many mobile IT systems are not always online. Therefore, the data stored on these systems is not always up to date. When databases between mobile IT systems and stationary IT systems are synchronised, data may be lost due to carelessness or malfunction.

Examples:

• A PDA falls out of someone’s shirt pocket and breaks into pieces on the floor tiles, or a dog retrieves a mobile phone instead of the newspaper, unfortunately with the corresponding consequences. These and similar events cause many total losses of data on portable terminal devices.
• There is malware which selectively deletes data on infected IT systems. For some malware, the delete function is not run immediately when the system is infected, but only when a defined event occurs, for example when the system clock has reached a specific date.
• Many Internet services can be used to store information online. If the user forgets the password or if the password is not stored, it may not be possible to access the information stored unless the service provider offers a suitable method to reset the password.
• Hard disks and other mass storage media only have a limited service life. If no suitable redundancy measures have been taken, data loss may be caused by technical defects.

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  Copyright by Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (https://www.bsi.bund.de/)