What is the term for the gradual decay of storage medium causing data loss?

The term that refers to the gradual decay of a storage medium leading to data loss is "degraded storage." This concept encompasses the natural deterioration of storage devices over time, which can result from factors such as wear and tear, magnetic fluctuations, or physical damage. As the storage medium degrades, its ability to reliably hold and retrieve data diminishes, leading to potential data loss or corruption.

While other terms like "corrupted storage," "unstable storage," and "compromised storage" may individually denote issues related to data integrity or security, they do not specifically address the gradual physical or functional decline of storage media that occurs over time. "Corrupted storage" typically pertains to data that cannot be accessed due to corruption, "unstable storage" might refer to unreliable access instances, and "compromised storage" often indicates a breach or unauthorized access to data. None of these accurately describe the ongoing, natural decay process associated with degraded storage.