What term describes unauthorized access or exposure of sensitive data?

The term that describes unauthorized access or exposure of sensitive data is a data breach. A data breach specifically refers to incidents where confidential information is accessed without proper authorization. This can include various forms of sensitive data, such as personal identifiable information (PII), financial records, or proprietary business information.

Understanding this concept is crucial in the context of data security and privacy, as it emphasizes the need for robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access. In real-world scenarios, addressing a data breach often involves notifying affected individuals, investigating the incident, and implementing corrective actions to strengthen security protocols.

Data leakage, while similar in the sense of exposing information, generally refers to the unintentional transmission of data to an unauthorized party. Data corruption involves the alteration or loss of data integrity, and data retention concerns the policies surrounding how long data is stored and managed. Each of these terms addresses different aspects of data management and security, but a data breach specifically highlights the unauthorized aspect of access or exposure of sensitive data.