Managing data rot

Andre Schindler at NinjaOne explores the silent threat to your business’s most valuable asset

While data is spoken about regularly as the lifeblood of modern business, driving everything from decision making to innovations, what’s rarely talked about is its lesser-known consideration: data rot. 

Data rot, also known as bit rot or digital decay, refers to the gradual degradation of data over time – either physically, through hardware degradation, or digitally, through corruption or tech upgrades. Like most decay, it’s not always immediately noticeable, but its effects can be severe. Indeed, data rot impacts many kinds of data and can result in data loss, false information, and faulty systems.

What’s more, the likelihood of experiencing data rot rises with the volume of data an organisation produces, meaning as we tread further into technological advancements (such as AI) and create an explosion in data as a result, the risk of data rot also rises. But what causes data rot, and how can businesses prevent it in the first place whilst still harnessing the value of data?

What causes data rot?

Understanding the primary factors leading to data degradation can help organisations to prevent data loss. The main causes fall into two main categories: cloud storage challenges and digital file corruption.

Cloud storage, whilst offering a myriad of benefits to businesses, also poses significant challenges when it comes to data hygiene, causing data corruption if cloud strategies aren’t robust enough. Synchronisation issues between devices can lead to conflicts and the overwriting of critical data, while outages can cause the temporary or permanent loss of data if regular backups aren’t a part of an organisation’s data strategy.

On the other hand, digital file corruption can stem from a variety of causes; software bugs, interrupted downloads, saving issues and hardware problems, can all pose a risk to data integrity. Corruption can also spread to other files if the system continues to use or replicate corrupted data. Finally, the use of obsolete formats and technologies can make it increasingly difficult to access or recover data, further contributing to the risk of data rot.

In addition, ineffective or a lack of endpoint management plays a crucial role. An organisation’s worst nightmare when it comes to data security is a successful ransomware attack, 80-90% of which, according to Microsoft’s Defense Report 2023, originate through unmanaged devices, that are lacking the fundamentals of cybersecurity. 

How does data rot impact organisations?

Data rot can lead to the loss of critical information, but it can also disrupt operations and result in significant financial losses – for example, through false information finding its way into systems or applications. 

Additionally, data rot can compromise data integrity, meaning incorrect or incomplete information may be used for business decision-making. This can harm a company’s reputation and erode trust with clients and stakeholders. For example, a healthcare organisation that experiences data rot may lose important patient records, which can affect patient care and potentially cause legal issues. In a financial institution, data rot could result in the loss of transaction records, causing financial discrepancies and impacting an organisation’s regulatory compliance.

How can businesses prevent data rot?

To effectively combat data rot, businesses must implement a multi-faceted approach to data storage and management. By addressing key areas such as backups, storage media, data integrity checks, and preservation techniques, organisations can ensure their data remains intact and accessible over time.

1. Regular data backups are a fundamental strategy in preventing data rot. By creating copies of data at scheduled intervals and storing them in different locations, it safeguards against potential data loss by corruption or by physical media breaking. 
2. Investment in reliable storage media is another important measure. High-quality storage devices, such as solid-state drives (SSDs), offer greater durability and protection against data rot compared to traditional hard drives. Replacing storage media before it reaches the end of its lifespan is also essential to minimise the risk of data loss.
3. Proven data preservation techniques are vital for maintaining long-term data integrity and accessibility. Routine data audits are a proactive approach to detecting issues like data corruption, format obsolescence, or media degradation. These checks, which can be automated, continuously monitor data for signs of corruption or inconsistencies, allowing for fast corrective action to take place. 
4. Cloud storage solutions provide a scalable and secure option for data preservation. Cloud providers ensure redundancies, regular backups, and strong disaster recovery plans are in place so that in the case of a cyber incident, there is no single point of failure (one part which could jeopardise the whole system), and systems can be restored. 
5. Using a cloud-based automated endpoint management solution enables organisations to have visibility across all users and devices. This facilitates the management of device hardening including patch management, backup, and deploying secure configurations and, in return, reduces the risk of security breaches and data rot simultaneously. 
6. Finally, adopting a comprehensive data management strategy is essential for preventing data rot and ensuring the longevity of data. Data preservation frameworks should include policies and procedures for data storage, and backup and integrity checks to create a robust framework for data preservation. Staff should be trained on best practices for data management and regularly review and update these strategies to further safeguard an organisations’ data assets. 

Understanding data rot is the first step to safeguarding an organisation’s data integrity and accessibility. The next step is implementing effective prevention methods. To keep data secure and accessible, business must be diligent in their preservation efforts, protecting their most valuable asset – data – from rot.

Andre Schindler is General Manager, EMEA at NinjaOne

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and DMP