"Dark data" is the elephant in the room; everyone knows it’s there, but enterprises don’t want to address it. It’s often considered to be “someone else’s problem,” whether that’s the IT, compliance, privacy or legal department. Dark data has little value if improperly managed; it's risky and costly to store, and each year that liability only grows larger. Even the optimist agrees the term “dark data” carries an ominous Star Wars-like connotation of a toxic universe bent on destroying the world of good, bright data. The good news is that it’s also a universe filled with opportunity.