FBI: Cybercrime losses down last year

Released today, the Computer Security Institute (CSI)/FBI 2006 study surveyed hundreds of executives about their businesses' security practices. Though cybercrime still remains rampant, the study pointed to some bright spots on the horizon.

According to data from 2005, the amount of financial losses per respondent decreased by 18 percent from last year, from $203,606 to $167,713. Unauthorized use of computerized systems decreased slightly as well.

There was, however, a slight up-tick in the percentage of companies willing to work with authorities when victimized by cybercriminals, up from 20 to 25 percent.

Though the overall average per respondent has gone down, there were some areas where losses increased through the theft of laptops and mobile hardware, telecom fraud and website defacement. The study also reported that virus attacks are still the biggest source of cybercrime financial losses.