Residual Data

Data that is not currently live on the computer system, including data found in file slack space, data found on media free space, and data from deleted files. Also known as Ambient Data.

Residual Data (sometimes referred to as "Ambient Data") refers to data that is not active on a computer system. Residual data includes (1) data found on media free space; (2) data found in file slack space; and (3) data within files that has functionally been deleted, in that it is not visible using the application with which the file was created, without use of undelete or special data recovery techniques.