Unlike physical clutter, digital hoarding creates an invisible risk – people may not even know what data they’re storing or where
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — November 17, 2025. Cluttered desktops, overflowing inboxes and forgotten files may seem harmless—but they are fuelling a growing cybersecurity risk, says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and CISO Advisor at KnowBe4 Africa.
Collard explains that digital hoarding, the habit of keeping unnecessary files, outdated software, unused accounts and legacy databases, creates a vast and often invisible attack surface. Unlike physical clutter, employees may not even know what sensitive data they are storing or where it lives—across laptops, cloud drives, inboxes, shared folders and personal devices.
She warns that abandoned documents, old client data, and unpatched systems provide cybercriminals with easy entry points. Years of email correspondence, outdated tools and unmanaged storage repositories become “goldmines for attackers,” while the sheer volume of retained data makes breach investigations slower and more complex. Excessive data retention also raises the risk of non-compliance with regulations such as POPIA.
Why people hoard digital data
Digital hoarding is driven by fear of deleting important files, the belief that information may be needed “someday,” sentimental attachment to old work, and unclear data-retention policies. Without firm organisational guidelines, most employees default to saving everything.
How organisations can fix digital hoarding
Collard recommends a structured approach:
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Clear, automated data retention policies and regular clean-up cycles
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Data loss prevention (DLP) tools to identify and classify sensitive files
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Simple, trusted deletion and archiving processes
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AI-based prompts that surface old or unused files for review
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Well-organised folder structures and periodic access-permission audits
She also emphasises the need for cultural change: reward teams that maintain clean digital spaces, promote peer accountability and deliver continuous security awareness training to reinforce the risks of unmanaged data.
“Digital hoarding is not just an IT problem—it’s a human behaviour challenge,” Collard says. “By addressing it proactively, organisations can reduce security exposure, improve efficiency and strengthen resilience.”
