The Problem of Stale Data
Stale files are old, forgotten documents that accumulate across organizational systems. They pose significant compliance and security risks that many organizations overlook.
Why Stale Files Are Dangerous
- Contain sensitive data: Old files often include PII, financial data, or confidential information.
- Violate retention policies: Keeping data beyond its retention period breaches regulations.
- Increase breach exposure: More data means more potential for exposure.
- Complicate discovery: Audits become harder with sprawling data stores.
Common Hiding Places
- Employee desktop folders
- Shared network drives
- Old backup archives
- Email attachments
- Temporary download folders
- Legacy system exports
File Hygiene Best Practices
- Regular scanning: Schedule automated scans to identify stale files.
- Age-based policies: Define rules for files older than specific thresholds.
- Owner accountability: Assign responsibility for file review and cleanup.
- Automated archiving: Move old files to secure archives based on policies.
- Secure deletion: Properly dispose of files no longer needed.
VaultMate's Stale File Detection
VaultMate identifies files by age and access patterns, flagging documents that haven't been opened in months or years. Combined with PII detection, it helps prioritize which stale files pose the greatest compliance risk.