Sequester could stall momentum on cybersecurity

The mandatory budget cuts looming over Washington threaten to forestall work on cybersecurity just as the president’s new executive order gets off the ground. Without prompt congressional intervention, sequestration could hamstring the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies tasked only this month with protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure from crippling cyberattacks and digital spies. The perils of mandatory subtraction aren’t unique to federal efforts shoring up the country’s digital defenses. And there’s widespread belief that cybersecurity funding might ultimately be safe, given Washington’s recognition of the threat at hand. But the potential for initial, broad cuts — on top of an already flat budget — still stand in stark contrast to the policy vision unveiled by President Barack Obama earlier this month and raises the possibility of early delay.