What term describes data left behind on systems/media after deletion procedures?

The term that describes data left behind on systems or media after deletion procedures is remanence. Remanence refers to the residual representation of data that remains on storage media even after it appears to have been deleted. This occurs because deletion processes often do not erase the actual data but may merely mark it as available for reuse, making it recoverable with the right tools.

Understanding remanence is crucial in fields such as cybersecurity and data protection, as it highlights the importance of using secure deletion methods that ensure complete data removal, especially when handling sensitive or classified information. This awareness aids in preventing unauthorized access to potentially retrievable data, thus enhancing overall data security practices.