Which of the following security threats is the cause of the greatest amount of data loss?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To approach this question, let's evaluate what each option implies about data loss.
Option a: Malware. While malware can cause significant damage and data loss, it is not necessarily the top cause of data loss in many organizations. Malware incidents often involve malicious programs like ransomware or spyware, but their impact is frequently tied to how systems are used or misused rather than being the single greatest overall cause.
Option b: Unauthorised access. Breaches from unauthorized access can lead to data exposure or loss, yet such incidents are usually a result of weak controls, misconfigurations, or poor user practices. On balance, unauthorized access is a major risk, but it doesn't consistently account for the largest share of data loss across industries.
Option c: Hackers. This option highlights external attackers. While hacking incidents can be severe, they often require exploitable vulnerabilities or social engineering vectors. Nevertheless, external breaches do not always exceed losses caused by internal factors or user mistakes.
Option d: User error. In many security surveys and risk assessments, human error—such as deleting or misconfiguring data, falling for phishing, sharing credentials, or improper data handling—remains the leading cause of data loss. Even with strong technical controls, errors by users or operators frequently result in the largest volumes of data being lost or corrupted.
Across these options, the reasoning points toward user behavior as the dominant contributor to data loss, with other factors dependent on context but typically not surpassing the impact of mistakes or negligence by users and operators.
Therefore, option d is identified as the primary source of the greatest data loss in many real-world scenarios.

Which of the following security threats is the cause of the greatest amount of data loss?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

What is the most significant challenge to information security, according to class discussions?

Identify the security threat: When a user enters incorrect data or deletes a valuable file.

Which of the following security threats is the cause of the greatest amount of data loss?

In a consumer society, many adults channel creativity into buying things

Economic stress and unpredictable times have resulted in a booming industry for self-help products

People born without creativity never can develop it

A product has a selling price of $20, a contribution margin ratio of 40% and fixed cost of $120,000. To make a profit of $30,000. The number of units that must be sold is: Type the number without $ and a comma. Eg: 20000

Which of the following statement regarding cost is correct:

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler