Drone Breach Stirs Calls to Fill Cyber Post

Members of Congress are calling on the White House to quickly fill vacant cybersecurity posts in the wake of revelations that Iraqi insurgents have learned to intercept video feeds from unmanned military drones. Lawmakers also expressed frustration that no action was taken until this year, even though the vulnerability of the video feeds had been known since the 1990s. "That revelation obviously raises great concern about the state of our security," said Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who co-chaired a cybersecurity commission with Rep. Langevin. "It's time for action" on the White House cybersecurity post, he said. The administration has considered dozens of candidates and been "turned down innumerable times," said James Lewis, a cybersecurity specialist who advises the administration. "The president is personally committed to finding the right person for the cybersecurity coordinator job; a rigorous selection process is well under way," said White House spokesman Nick Shapiro. Without a central figure in the White House to set priorities, the administration could miss security gaps like the unprotected drone videos, said J.R. Reagan, who heads the cybersecurity practice at Deloitte Consulting. "It underscores why it's so important that we get this position filled."