Number of cyber incidents jumps
Federal civilian agencies reported three times as many cyber-related incidents in fiscal 2008 as they did in fiscal 2006 to the Homeland Security Department’s office that coordinates defenses and responses to cyberattacks. Meanwhile, an official says the office suspects the actual number of cyber incidents is higher.
The agencies reported to DHS’ United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) a total of 18,050 incidents in fiscal 2008, compared with 12,986 in fiscal 2007 and 5,144 in fiscal 2006, according to DHS officials. Overall, the total number of incidents reported to US-CERT from commercial, foreign, private, and federal, state and local government sectors rose from 24,097 in fiscal 2006 to 72,065 in fiscal 2008. [FCW]
