What does data leakage refer to?

Data leakage refers to the unauthorized sharing or transfer of sensitive information to external parties, which can occur intentionally or unintentionally. This can happen through various means, such as negligence by employees, malware attacks, or exploitation of vulnerabilities in a system. The core issue of data leakage is that it compromises the confidentiality and integrity of data, potentially leading to significant risks including identity theft, financial loss, and damage to an organization's reputation.

The other options describe different aspects of data management and security but do not align with the concept of data leakage. For instance, the secure transfer of data between two organizations is generally considered a safe and authorized process, contrasting with the unauthorized nature of data leakage. Verifying data integrity focuses on ensuring that data remains accurate and unaltered, which is unrelated to the issue of data being inappropriately shared. Managing backup files securely involves protecting backups from unauthorized access or loss, again not pertaining to the act of data leakage itself.