Toxic Data

Toxic data is information that is understood to be benign and low risk, but unexpectedly includes sensitive information, introducing unmanaged risk. Toxic data can appear in surprising places, such as application log files, backups, and file repositories. Identifying a repository of toxic data can create a great deal of work for an organization, as it must be cataloged and then either incorporated into the organization's standard data governance model, or disposed of. One goal of a well-managed data governance program is ensure that all data undergoes continuous discovery and classification, allowing organizations to identify and eliminate toxic data quickly and inexpensively.