Cyber-Czar Wait Is Almost Over

It has taken a year, but the federal government appears poised to appoint an overseer for U.S. cyber-security.

Vallee Bunting, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, in Washington, said officials there are whittling down the list of candidates. Once the department decides on the best candidate, that person will be appointed by the president and the Office of Management and Budget.

According to Bunting, Senate confirmation is not required for this position.

For many in the technology industry, the appointment can’t come soon enough. After all, it’s the private sector that controls most of the infrastructure that could crack under a cyber-attack. A leadership vacuum at the DHS makes the job of securing critical infrastructure that much tougher.

As it is, the new head of cyber-security will have a lot to fix. It has been five years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the DHS has received an F on computer security for three straight years from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform.

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