The Department of Homeland Security is desperate to try and hire cybersecurity specialists, in an effort to increase defense from foreign-based attacks

The United States government and military face a hiring shortage of skilled cybersecurity experts, at a time when improving security on PCs and networks from foreign threat is a major effort. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is struggling due to complicated layers of bureaucracy that the government is notorious for installing.

"It's self-inflicted damage, it's not that they need something from Congress," said Alan Paller, co-chairman of a board designed to recommend how the DHS can improve its cybersecurity methods. "I called this out as a key issue or critical issue, which I don't think is solved."

Cybersecurity experts often find the private sector to be more lucrative, and tend to find it easier and more efficient to hire new staff. A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said the DHS will receive a streamlined ability to hire workers, but that in itself has proven to be a difficult task to work through.

The Department of Defense (DoD) will continue its efforts to hire cybersecurity specialists and boost defensive capabilities.