Which state of data is at risk in volatile memory that concerns the IT department?

The state of data that is at risk in volatile memory, which is a type of temporary storage such as RAM, is data in use. Volatile memory only retains information while it is powered; once the power is turned off or the system is rebooted, the data is lost. This makes it particularly vulnerable to breaches or unauthorized access when the system is running.

When data is in use, it is actively being processed by applications and can be exposed to various threats, such as malware, unauthorized access, or memory scraping attacks. Attackers can target this state to extract sensitive information while it is being handled, making it essential for IT departments to implement strict security controls and monitoring to protect it.

In contrast, data at rest refers to information stored on non-volatile storage like hard drives and is not specifically at risk due to being in memory. Data in transit typically refers to data moving across networks, highlighting encryption and secure transmission concerns, while data in motion usually encompasses data actively moving from one location to another, but it also does not pertain to the vulnerabilities associated with memory storage. Thus, data in use is the correct focus when discussing risks in volatile memory.