← QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2

Risks of collecting and keeping too much data

The more data a system keeps, the more harm if it is stolen or leaked. Extra stored data makes identity theft and misuse of that data more likely and more damaging.

Part of: QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2 — Data-Driven Problems and Solution Requirements — Module 115

Understanding Risks of collecting and keeping too much data in QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2

What it does: A record holding name, birth date, address and licence number gives a thief enough to impersonate someone. Keeping just two needed fields leaves little for a thief to misuse, so the exposure risk is smaller. Each extra field adds to what a thief can steal. Keeping more data increases the potential harm of a breach. Data minimisation means that data you never collect cannot be stolen or leaked. Identity theft means using someone else's personal details to pretend to be them, often for money or credit. Data that is kept too long still sits in the system. A breach can expose it, and the customer gets nothing in return.

Common mistakes: 5000 is wrapped in quotes, so it is text, not a number. Line 2 multiplies it to estimate how many records leak, so it must be the number 5000: stored <- 5000. Collecting a field that is not needed adds more data that can be stolen. Unneeded fields should be removed with delete field.

Class: _____________________ · Name: _____________________ · Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 2–115) and word search (Modules 2–139).

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Learning

Duo

A school app stores students' full birth dates, home addresses and phone numbers. After a data breach, which statement is true?

The more data stored, the more harm the leak can causeThe amount of data stored makes no difference to the harm

Matches

Store every customer's birth date and licence number just in case we need it later.

↓

Collecting data without a current need increases the data exposure risk, and a leak could lead to identity theft.

Applying

Meanings

Term

data exposure risk

Meaning

The more data a system keeps, the more harm if it is stolen or leaked. Extra stored data makes identity theft and misuse of that data more likely and more damaging.

Practice

// Store only what the canteen needs

Testing

Gaps

Check Answer

Spots

1stored <- "5000"

2leaked <- stored * 0.1

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Quick Questions

1. A school app stores students' full birth dates, home addresses and phone numbers. After a data breach, which statement is true?

A. The amount of data stored makes no difference to the harm

B. The more data stored, the more harm the leak can cause ✓

Each extra field adds to what a thief can steal. Keeping more data increases the potential harm of a breach.

2. Which approach reduces the risk of identity theft?

A. Collect only the data the system actually needs ✓

B. Collect as much data as possible in case it is useful later

Data minimisation means that data you never collect cannot be stolen or leaked.

3. A canteen app only needs a student's name and lunch order. It also stores their driver's licence number. This is:

A. A helpful backup that makes the app safer

B. An unnecessary risk that could help identity theft ✓

Data the system has no need for adds risk without adding any value. If it leaks, a thief could use it to pretend to be that person.

4. A criminal steals a database containing names, birth dates and addresses. Which use is identity theft?

A. Using the details to open a credit account in the victim's name ✓

B. Deleting the database so nobody can read it

Identity theft means using someone else's personal details to pretend to be them, often for money or credit.

5. A company keeps customer records for 15 years after they stop using the service. What is the risk?

A. Old data can still be stolen or misused in a breach ✓

B. Old data is safe because nobody uses it any more

Data that is kept too long still sits in the system. A breach can expose it, and the customer gets nothing in return.

Match the Pairs

SELECT firstName, house FROM students; → Collects only the fields the task needs, which limits what could be exposed if the data leaks

SELECT * FROM students; → Pulls every stored field for every student, which increases the harm if the results are stolen or leaked

Keeping extra personal details makes identity theft easier, because a thief can combine them to pose as the person → fields = [name, birthDate, address, licenceNo]

Only collecting what the solution needs reduces the harm if the data is stolen → fields = [firstName, yearLevel]

Store every customer's birth date and licence number just in case we need it later. → Collecting data without a current need increases the data exposure risk, and a leak could lead to identity theft.

Keep old student records forever, because storage is cheap and deleting is extra work. → Keeping data longer than needed means more is exposed in a breach and more can be misused.

Key Term

data exposure risk

The more data a system keeps, the more harm if it is stolen or leaked. Extra stored data makes identity theft and misuse of that data more likely and more damaging.

Fill in the Blanks

1. input name input email

Hint: Type the keyword that asks the user to enter a value. Each extra value collected is more data that could be leaked.

2. SELECT firstName, house FROM students

Hint: Type the SQL keyword that names the table. Selecting only the fields needed limits how much data is exposed.

3. DELETE FROM orders WHERE orderDate < '2020-01-01';

Hint: Type the SQL command that permanently removes old rows so less data is kept that could be stolen.

4. ALTER TABLE students DROP COLUMN address;

Hint: Type the keyword that removes a field the system no longer needs, which reduces the risk of identity theft.

5. if hasConsent = true then input phoneNumber end if

Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks for equality. Personal data is only collected when permission is given, which limits misuse.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A stored <- "5000"

B leaked <- stored * 0.1

C print leaked

Line A — 5000 is wrapped in quotes, so it is text, not a number. Line 2 multiplies it to estimate how many records leak, so it must be the number 5000: stored <- 5000.

Question 2

A for each field in form

B if field is not needed then

C collect field

D end if

E end for

Line C — Collecting a field that is not needed adds more data that can be stolen. Unneeded fields should be removed with delete field.

Question 3

A exposed <- 0

B for i from 1 to 3

C exposed <- count[i]

D end for

E print exposed

Line C — The accumulator is overwritten each time round the loop, so it only holds the last count. It must add each count to the running total: exposed <- exposed + count[i].

Question 4

A purpose <- "newsletter"

B if purpose = "newsletter"

C input email

D end if

Line B — The if line is missing the keyword then. It should be: if purpose = "newsletter" then. The email is only collected when it is needed, which keeps stored data small.

Question 5

A define leakRisk(records rate)

B risk <- records * rate

C return risk

D end define

Line A — The parameters must be separated by a comma. It should be define leakRisk(records, rate). The function estimates how risk grows with the number of records kept.

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