Government at Risk for Major Cyber Attack, IT Pros Say

BSA Press Release June 25, 2002 BSA Press Release June 27, 2002

Washington, D.C. - The Business Software Alliance (BSA) released the results of a poll today of information technology professionals in which half of all IT pros (49%) say that the U.S. Government is at Risk of a major cyber attack in the next 12 months. Additionally, more than half of all IT Pros (55%) say the risk of a major cyber attack on the U.S. has increased since 9/11. Three-in-four IT pros (72%) say there is a gap between the threat of a major cyber attack and the Government's ability to defend against it. Nearly all IT Pros (86%) say the U.S. Government should devote more time and resources to defending against cyber attacks than it did to addressing Y2K issues

These are the findings of an Ipsos Public Affairs poll conducted on behalf of the Business Software Alliance between June 5, 2002 and June 7, 2002. Ipsos Public Affairs interviewed 395 IT professionals via Internet from a panel of more than 20,000 IT professionals. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within +/- 5.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire IT professional panel been surveyed.

IT Pros Say U.S. Government at Risk of Major Cyber Attack in Next 12 Months

Overall, half of all IT pros (49%) say it is likely that the U.S. government will be subject to a major cyber attack.

• IT pros are 8 times more likely to say a major cyber attack is extremely likely (16%) than not at all likely (2%)
• Among those IT pros most expert on security issues -- those responsible for their company's computer and Internet security -- 59% feel a major cyber attack is likely within the next year.

More than half of all IT pros (55%) feel that the risk of a major cyber attack on the U.S. has increased since 9/11, whereas only 7% feel the risk has decreased.

• By a 15-to-1 margin, IT pros are more likely to say that the risk of a major cyber attack on the U.S. has strongly increased (15%) than strongly decreased (1%).

By a 2-to-1 margin, IT pros are more likely to say that the government is not prepared for a major cyber attack (38%) than say the government is prepared (19%).

• By a 9-to-1 margin, IT pros are more likely to say the U.S. government is not at all prepared (9%) than extremely prepared (1%).

IT Pros Perceive Gap Between Threat of Major Cyber Attack and Government's Ability to Defend Against Attack

Almost 3-in-4 IT pros (72%) say there is a gap between the threat of a major cyber attack in the U.S. and the government's ability to defend against a major cyber attack.

• Among those IT pros most expert on security issues -- those responsible for their company's computer and Internet security, 84% say there is a gap between the threat of a major cyber attack and the government's ability to defend against it.

2-in-3 IT pros (68%) say the gap between the threat of a major cyber attack and the government's ability to defend against it has either increased (37%) or remained the same (31%) since 9/11.

• Few IT pros say the gap between the threat of a major cyber attack and the government's ability to defend against it has decreased since 9/11.

IT Pros Say U.S. Government Should Secure Sensitive Information

Almost all IT pros (96%) say it is important that the U.S. government secure its sensitive information so hackers will not be able to access it even if they break into government's computer system.

• Nearly 9-in-10 IT pros (88%) say it is extremely important.

IT Pros Divided on Adequacy of Security Measures for E-Government Program

About 1-in-4 IT pros (23%) say the U.S. government has built adequate security measures into its e-government program, whereas 1-in-3 IT pros (32%) say the security measures are not adequate.

• By a 10-to-1 margin, however, IT pros are more likely to say the U.S. government security measures are not at all adequate (10%) than extremely adequate (1%).

IT Pros Say Government's Response to Threat of Cyber Attacks Should be Even More Vigilant Than Efforts on Y2K

Nearly all IT pros (86%) say the U.S. government should devote more time and resources to defending against cyber attacks than it did addressing Y2K issues.

• Only 1% of IT pros say the U.S. government should devote less time and resources.

Fewer than half of all IT pros (47%) say the U.S. government is devoting more time and resources to defending against cyber attacks than it did to addressing Y2K issues.

• 1-in-3 IT pros (34%) say the U.S. government is devoting less time and resources.

IT Pros Rate the Likelihood of Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructures

3-in-4 IT pros (74%) say that it is likely that national financial institutions, such as Wall Street or big national banks will be the target of a major cyber attack in the next year.

• 2-in-3 IT pros say that it is likely that communications systems such as telephones and the Internet (67%), transportation infrastructure such as air traffic control computer systems (67%) and utilities such as water stations, dams or power plant computer systems (64%) will be the target of a major cyber attack in the next year.

For more information on this release, please contact: Thomas Riehle President Ipsos Public Affairs 202.463.7300 Jeri Clausing BSA 202.530.5127

The survey was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, the Washington, D.C.-based division of Ipsos-Reid, which is part of the world's third largest polling and market research organization, the Ipsos group, based in Paris. Ipsos Public Affairs conducts non- partisan, objective strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of U.S. and international organizations.

The Business Software Alliance is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal online world. The BSA is the voice of the world's software, hardware and Internet sectors before governments and with consumers in the international marketplace. Its members represent the fastest growing industry in the world. BSA educates computer users on software copyrights and cyber security; advocates public policy that fosters innovation and expands trade opportunities; and fights software piracy. BSA members include Adobe, Apple Computer, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Borland, CNC Software/Mastercam, Compaq, Dell, EDS, Entrust, IBM, Intel, Intuit, Macromedia, Microsoft, Network Associates, Novell, Sybase, and Symantec.