A study by the FBI estimates that yearly losses to computer crimes exceed $67 billion.

The study is based on the results of a survey of more than 2,000 organizations, of which 90 percent reported having suffered some form of computer attack in the previous 12 months, and 64 percent said they suffered a financial loss due to those attacks.

The average financial loss was $24,000 per company.

In estimating total losses, the FBI multiplied the average loss by just 20 percent of U.S. organizations because survey results are often skewed when reporting problems.

Even with the significant reduction in the number of affected businesses, the total estimate was an enormous amount of money, far exceeding the $1 billion in losses each year to telecommunications fraud.

Because of the relatively large sample size, Bruce Verduyn of the FBI said he believes the estimate is more accurate than other studies that have attempted to quantify losses to cybercrime.

CNET, 19 January 2006
http://news.com.com/2100-7349_3-6028946.html