Data diddling

Data diddling is a form of computer fraud involving the intentional falsification of numbers in data entry. It often involves the inflation or understatement of income or expenses to benefit a company or individual when completing tax or other financial documents. This act is performed manually by someone in a data entry position, or remotely by hacking or using malware. Data diddling is a form of cyber crime, and is punishable by large fines or imprisonment.

Unlike other fraud, data diddling specifically refers to the misrepresentation of information during entry, and not after. The phrase is comprised of the term data, which is digital information, and the verb diddle, which means to falsify or exploit.

Business terms, Security terms