**GAO-03-414**                      Published: Feb 12, 2003. Publicly Released: Feb 12, 2003.                  

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## Highlights

September 11 exposed the vulnerability of U.S. financial markets to wide-scale disasters. Because the markets are vital to the nation's economy, GAO assessed (1) the effects of the attacks on market participants' facilities and telecommunications and how prepared participants were for attacks at that time, (2) physical and information security and business continuity plans market participants had in place after the attacks, and (3) regulatory efforts to improve preparedness and oversight of market participants' risk reduction efforts.

## Recommendations

## Recommendations for Executive Action

See All 6 Recommendations

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## Topics

Homeland Security

Banking regulationEmergency preparednessHomeland securityInformation resources managementInformation securityRisk managementSecurities regulationStock exchangesStocks (securities)Strategic planningTerrorism