Reported federal cyberattacks increasing

It looks like cyberattacks against federal networks are increasing.  This comes from an article in USA Today stating that in 2008 there was a 40% increase of reported cyberattacks against U.S. Government computer networks, with many of the attacks coming through attempts to plant malware to get to sensitive data.

Of course, you have to pay attention to the article to see some details that might make you scratch your head.  The article says the number of reported attacks is increasing, not actual attacks.  When you combine that with the fact that "just 1% of federal agencies have fully developed tracking systems", it makes you wonder how accurate the data is. 

Federally tracked accounts of unauthorized access to government computers and installations of hostile programs rose from a combined 3,928 incidents in 2007 to 5,488 in 2008...

That number seems pretty high actually, but it makes me wonder how the reporting is occuring.  Basically, or are these isolated events or are these a bunch of people calling on related events that make the raw stats jump higher?

Of course, the conspiracy theorist in me is screaming that the number is low and they aren't telling us about a lot of other incidents.  I wonder how much they are hiding?? (cue the X-Files music)