The rise of cybercrime such as hacking and ransomware attacks is costing businesses billions in losses and threatening public safety, but federal agencies vary in how they collect data on these crimes, meaning the data can be inconsistent or incomplete, says a government report published on Tuesday.
The US Government Accountability Office said in its report that there are 12 agencies, including the Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, that track cybercrime.
But there is no official or widely agreed-upon definition of cybercrime, the GAO said in a summary of its report.
It said cybercrime may not be tracked consistently because it is not always associated with a specific type of crime, and victims may be hesitant to report cybercrime due to a lack of familiarity or reputation.
The report says the Better Cybercrimes Metrics Act, enacted in May 2022, is intended to address deficiencies in cybercrime data reporting and establish cybercrime reporting mechanisms.
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