Dark data is the information organizations collect, process and store as a part of their regular business activities. However, dark data is generally not used for any other business purposes, like analytics or marketing.
Organizations may not use dark data because it is not relevant, outdated, or incomplete, but oftentimes organizations do not even know it exists.
Dark data may contain sensitive personal information, which can require a certain level of securing that data, which can lead to high maintenance costs or, if compromised, can lead to financial, reputational, or legal loss.