Kroll Ontrack's quarterly data loss index (DLI) shows that more than two out of five (41 percent) cases of data loss for mobile devices and tablets are due to liquid damage. This would make it the leading cause of data loss. Across all devices (laptops, external drives, servers), more than one in five (21 percent) data lost events are due to storage devices appearing to be unrecognisable or uncharted.
The report sample covers 1,164 individual disk assessments from 47 countries between July and September 2015, developed from analysis of anonymous data collected via Kroll Ontrack's data recovery self-assessment tool that helps users carry out an initial check on their device and receive advice on what to do next.
More than half (57 percent) data loss scenarios occur with hard disk drives (HDDs) and less than eight percent occur with solid state drives (SSDs). SSDs are stronger when dropped onto a hard surface – one of the top five common causes of data loss.
“Any attempt to retrieve data from a faulty device could lead to further data loss, an undetected device and warranty voidance. Users should do their research and seek advice before even thinking about repairing a device,” said Paul Le Messurier, programme and operations manager at Kroll Ontrack.
