When might data that was previously stored be said to be properly retained?

Data retention must align with various legal, regulatory, and business requirements. Therefore, data is considered properly retained as long as it fulfills these necessities. This means that organizations should only keep data for the minimum period necessary to comply with relevant laws, regulations, and business needs. Retaining data indefinitely or without a legitimate purpose could lead to unnecessary risks, including data breaches or legal liabilities.

Proper retention policies not only ensure compliance but also help optimize resources by minimizing the amount of data stored and reducing potential exposure. Moreover, clear guidelines on how long data should be retained assist organizations in making informed decisions about lifecycle management and data disposal once the retention period has expired.

While security considerations like encryption are critical for data protection, they do not directly relate to the proper retention duration of the data. Similarly, being secure but accessible does not encompass the specific criteria of legal and regulatory compliance that dictate how long data should be retained. Keeping data indefinitely for audits may not be justifiable unless there is a clear legal requirement, which often leads to unnecessary data retention. Thus, proper retention is fundamentally about adhering to specified legal, regulatory, and business requirements.