BSI ID: G 0.17

There are a variety of causes that can lead to the loss of devices, data carriers and documents. This directly affects availability, but confidential information may also fall into the wrong hands if the data carriers are not fully encrypted. Replacing devices or data carriers incurs costs, but even if they are recovered, information may have been disclosed or unwanted programs installed. Mobile devices and mobile data carriers are particularly prone to loss. Today, huge amounts of data can be stored on small memory cards. However, it also happens time and again that paper documents are accidentally left behind, for example in restaurants or on public transport.

Examples:

• An employee uses her tram journey to work to look through some documents. When she gets off at her stop in a hurry, she accidentally leaves the papers on the seat next to her. Although the documents are not confidential, several signatures from senior executives have to be obtained again.

• At a large event, an employee accidentally drops a memory card containing confidential calculations on the floor while searching through his briefcase. The finder views the contents on his laptop and sells the information to the competition.

• A manufacturer sends CDs with software updates for troubleshooting to its customers by post. Some of these CDs are lost in the post without the sender or recipient being informed. As a result, the affected customers experience software malfunctions.