with two or more employees are sampled, which
leaves out smaller operations. The 2005 survey
yielded 8,079 responses, and while the 23% response
rate is low, the responses cover 36 economic sectors.
“
Cybercrime is classified as cyber
Rantala also noted that this is a nonmandatory sur- attacks, cyber theft, and ‘other
vey on a sensitive topic that, in effect, asks CEOs
to report on failures and how much they have cost
computer security incidents.
their companies. Even this small sample is 10 times ”
’
larger than anything else on the topic.
The survey provides the most comprehensive
surveying only a sample of industries each year, and
data available on the following topics:
exploring mandatory reporting requirements.
The nature of computer security incidents
National Household Travel Survey
Prevalence of incidents by industry and type of
Heather Contrino, from the Federal Highway
incident
Administration (FHWA), Department of
Transportation (DOT), described the National
Monetary losses
Household Travel Survey (NHTS) as the only
Downtime
national data source on travel demand and travel
behavior of the American public. Dating back
Types of offenders to 1969, the NHTS has measured travel by U.S.
households for all modes and purposes. The sur-
Reporting of incidents to authorities
vey has a wide range of users and is used for both
Vulnerabilities leading to breaches
national and local policy work.
The survey uses a national RDD with CATI
Cybercrime is classified as cyber attacks, cyber
design, and the population of interest is households
theft, and “other computer security incidents.” Of
with landline telephones. The minimum state sam-
the 7,636 respondent companies that have computer
ple is 250 households, and there is a cell phone–only
systems (some of the 8,079 respondents have none),
national sample. There is also an “add-on” survey
67% detected at least one type of incident during
with specific questionnaire content. Respondents
2005. Of these incidents, 58% were cyber attacks,
answer a number of questions and fill out a travel
11% cyber theft, and 24% “other.” Asked whether
diary for a single day. For that day, they report all
victimized companies might be more or less likely to
trips by all modes by all household members age five
respond, Rantala commented that it could go either
and above. Each household reports travel for only
way, but that there is no way to know for sure.
one day, but the survey covers all days of the year.
Rantala described some of the survey’s findings.
The content of the survey includes basic informa-
For example, the number of cyber theft incidents is
tion about households and household members, as
low relative to cyber attacks, but they involve big-
well as geography, vehicles, and trips. Some of the
ger monetary losses, as attacks are not about money.
issues examined include congestion; safety; ener-
Cyber attacks do cause more downtime, but they
gy and environment; and alternative modes such
involve less cost, as some productivity is often sal-
as transit, walking, and biking. The influence of
vaged. Little is known about who is committing
Internet shopping is another issue being looked at,
cyber attacks, but companies often report they
not because there is a concern that people are no lon-
have a good idea of who is committing cyber theft.
ger traveling to stores (they are), but because there
Attacks tend to come from the outside, while theft
are “all those delivery trucks in our neighborhoods.”
comes from inside. Much cybercrime is not reported
The NHTS has two components. First is the
to authorities, as many companies see little gain in
National Study, which has a sample of about 25,000
doing so. This finding suggests official statistics on
households and serves the DOT, Congress, and the
cybercrime reflect just the tip of the iceberg. When
administration. It is also a resource for states and
asked if there is anything on cybercrime or preven-
metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).
tive steps on current mandatory censuses of busi-
Second is the Add-On Program. Started in 1990,
nesses, Rantala said there is not. She also noted that
this program allows states and MPOs to purchase
they have considered the ACS as a possible vehicle
additional samples for their area. Participants come
for additional information on cybercrime.
from many states, and the program has a sample of
Rantala wrapped up with a look at the bureau’s
about 125,000.
plans, which call for a scaled-down questionnaire,
Contrino described some of the funding
challenges the FHWA faces and noted that the
MARCH 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 25
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