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[infowar.de] GAO: Data Mining: Federal Efforts Cover a Wide Range of Uses
Infowar.de, http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~bendrath/liste.html
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US General Accounting Office:
Data Mining: Federal Efforts Cover a Wide Range of Uses.
[GAO-04-548]
May 27, 2004.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04548.pdf [pdf format, 71 pages]
Hier die Higlights:
http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d04548high.pdf
Highlights of GAO-04-548, a report to the Ranking Minority Member,
Subcommittee
on Financial Management, the Budget, and International Security,
Committee on
Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate May 2004
Why GAO did this study
Both the government and the private sector are increasingly using ?data
mining??that is, the application of database technology and techniques
(such as statistical analysis and modeling) to uncover hidden patterns
and subtle relationships in data and to infer rules that allow for the
prediction of future results. As has been widely reported, many federal
data mining efforts involve the use of personal information that is
mined from databases maintained by public as well as private sector
organizations.
GAO was asked to survey data mining systems and activities in federal
agencies. Specifically, GAO was asked to identify planned and
operational federal data mining
efforts and describe their characteristics.
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-548
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
the link above. For more information, contact Linda Koontz at (202)
512-6240 or koontzl -!
- gao -
gov -
What GAO found
Federal agencies are using data mining for a variety of purposes,
ranging
from improving service or performance to analyzing and detecting
terrorist
patterns and activities. Our survey of 128 federal departments and
agencies
on their use of data mining shows that 52 agencies are using or are
planning
to use data mining. These departments and agencies reported 199 data
mining efforts, of which 68 are planned and 131 are operational. The
figure
here shows the most common uses of data mining efforts as described by
agencies. Of these uses, the Department of Defense reported the largest
number of efforts aimed at improving service or performance, managing
human resources, and analyzing intelligence and detecting terrorist
activities. The Department of Education reported the largest number of
efforts aimed at detecting fraud, waste, and abuse. The National
Aeronautics
and Space Administration reported the largest number of efforts aimed at
analyzing scientific and research information. For detecting criminal
activities or patterns, however, efforts are spread relatively evenly
among
the agencies that reported having such efforts.
In addition, out of all 199 data mining efforts identified, 122 used
personal
information. For these efforts, the primary purposes were improving
service
or performance; detecting fraud, waste, and abuse; analyzing scientific
and
research information; managing human resources; detecting criminal
activities or patterns; and analyzing intelligence and detecting
terrorist
activities.
Agencies also identified efforts to mine data from the private sector
and data
from other federal agencies, both of which could include personal
information. Of 54 efforts to mine data from the private sector (such as
credit reports or credit card transactions), 36 involve personal
information.
Of 77 efforts to mine data from other federal agencies, 46 involve
personal
information (including student loan application data, bank account
numbers,
credit card information, and taxpayer identification numbers).
Top Six Purposes of Data Mining Efforts in Departments and Agencies
(hier ist eine Grafik im Original, RB)
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