Every business has data lurking in the shadows—data that’s unstructured, unused, and often unnoticed. This is dark data. Think of it as the digital equivalent of forgotten files, like an old document saved but never revisited or an image stored without a second thought.
But here’s the kicker: Only 12% of a business's data is typically business-critical. The remaining 80% or more? That’s dark data—unclassified, unprotected, and ungoverned.
Why Does Dark Data Happen?
Dark data builds up because we create and store without assessing the long-term value of the information. Without clear strategies for data classification and management, businesses risk letting their cloud infrastructure become a digital dumping ground.
The Hidden Costs and Risks of Dark Data
Leaving dark data unmanaged doesn’t just clutter your systems—it can have real business consequences:
- Security Risks
Dark data often contains sensitive or confidential information that flies under the radar. This makes it a prime target for cyberattacks and data breaches.
- Increased Storage Costs
Cloud storage isn’t free. Storing unnecessary, unstructured data inflates your storage bills unnecessarily. By reviewing and managing dark data, businesses can cut costs significantly.
- Inaccurate Insights
Relying on unstructured or incomplete data can lead to skewed analytics and poor decision-making. Dark data could be holding the insights you need to stay ahead—if only you could find it.
Turning a Liability Into an Opportunity
Despite the risks, dark data isn’t just a problem—it’s an untapped resource. By uncovering and managing it effectively, businesses can unlock its potential to gain a significant edge:
- Competitive Advantage
Businesses using their full data arsenal make smarter, data-driven decisions. Leveraging dark data enables you to predict market trends, outpace competitors, and seize new opportunities.
- Operational Efficiency
Dark data can reveal inefficiencies and hidden bottlenecks. Harnessing it boosts productivity by streamlining processes and uncovering better ways to work.
- Strategic Insights
With a broader data set, businesses can uncover patterns and trends that improve long-term planning and decision-making.
How to Take Control of Your Dark Data
To realise the potential of dark data, it must be classified, protected, and governed. This ensures your business understands the value of its data and can unleash its full potential in an organised, efficient way.
At Intercity, we specialise in helping businesses do just that. Through our Microsoft-funded workshops, we’ll show you how to:
- Discover and protect sensitive data with tools like Microsoft Purview.
- Master data governance to align with compliance requirements.
- Maximise insights by turning unstructured data into actionable intelligence.
Ready to Shine a Light on Your Dark Data?
Transform dark data from a hidden risk into a powerful asset. Visit our workshop page today to learn more about how Centrality can help you discover, protect, and govern your data for a more secure and productive future.
