Cyberattackers lie in wait as federal tech agencies brace for a mass exit of top officials

Major turnover in the leadership of Washington’s tech establishment is underway, raising the prospect that enemy hackers will take advantage of the experience gap in critical technology and cyberintelligence jobs.

Nominees for national cybersecurity director and the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command are under consideration in the Senate, and the intelligence community’s technology investment group is preparing for a new leader.

The NSA and Cyber Command do not know when their leadership will change. Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh’s nomination to take over the agencies awaits final consideration. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Republican, has placed a hold on military promotions because of the Pentagon’s policy on abortion.

China-based cyberattackers breached Microsoft customers’ emails, including those of administration officials, just before President Biden nominated Gen. Haugh in May, according to a timeline from Microsoft.

The hack’s known list includes the State Department and Commerce Department and at least one member of Congress.

Malicious hacking is expected as U.S. political campaigns heat up next year.

Gen. Haugh worked on election defense efforts during the 2018, 2020 and 2022 campaigns and recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he was worried about foreign adversaries’ use of artificial intelligence in 2024.

“As we look at this election cycle, the area that we do have to consider that will be slightly different will be the role of generative AI as part of this,” Gen. Haugh said at a committee hearing. “And so our concern is foreign use attempting to be a part of our electoral process.”

The Biden administration is scrambling to craft a plan to combat danger from AI tools. Mr. Biden has touted voluntary commitments from major AI companies to make tools safe for public use, and the White House has promoted a prize for people using AI to solve cybersecurity problems.

The White House is also working on a national AI strategy and has tapped a new leader to help cement its cybersecurity plan, which includes more business regulations to improve digital defenses.

Mr. Biden submitted Harry Coker’s nomination to serve as national cyber director to the Senate last month, formally selecting a replacement for John C. Inglis, who left in February. Mr. Inglis reportedly clashed with the White House over federal agencies’ regulatory authority.

Acting Director Kemba Walden is helping craft a plan to implement Mr. Biden’s cybersecurity strategy, which rolled out in March.

Mr. Coker, a veteran of the CIA and NSA who served on Mr. Biden’s 2020 transition team, is preparing to take the helm of the office coordinating federal cybersecurity policy in the wake of breaches of critical U.S. infrastructure such as gas pipelines and health care systems.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican, and Sen. Angus S. King Jr., a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, expressed concern about the cybersecurity vacancy and said Mr. Coker was “highly qualified” to fill it.

Foreign adversaries looking to take advantage of the anticipated personnel changes will find American technology leaders on alert to prevent vulnerabilities.

In-Q-Tel, the nonprofit investment fund that has contracted with the CIA for nearly a quarter century, has worked for years on its transition plan to a new CEO. Steve Bowsher takes over in September.

In a June statement announcing Mr. Bowsher’s promotion, outgoing In-Q-Tel CEO Chris Darby said he has worked with the fund’s board for three years on the succession plan. Mr. Darby joined the fund in 2006 and recruited Mr. Bowsher in 2007, according to In-Q-Tel.

The fund is credited with making successful taxpayer-funded bets on tech startups to benefit national security, such as the data firm Palantir.

Palantir went public in 2020. On Tuesday, it had a market capitalization of more than $32 billion.

In-Q-Tel received more than $526 million in taxpayer funds over a five-year period ending in 2020, according to paperwork filed with the IRS.

Former CIA Chief Operating Officer Andy Makridis praised Mr. Bowsher’s appointment last week and said In-Q-Tel is critical to ensuring that the U.S. remains the “world’s premier intelligence community.”

“Steve leading this critical organization will undoubtedly expand upon the success realized with Chris at the helm and guarantee our national security community will be prepared for future threats,” Mr. Makridis said in a statement to The Washington Times.

Mr. Bowsher, who managed the fund’s relationship with Palantir, said in a June statement that he was looking forward to leading the organization into its next 25 years.