DoD recruits hackers

The military, facing daunting challenges protecting its sensitive digital networks and preparing for cyber warfare, has begun to turn to the people who really know the business--hackers.

For the second year in a row, Air Force brass attended the Defcon hacking conference in Las Vegas to recruit talent. Col. Michael Convertino said, "We have many empty jobs, empty slots that we can't fill."

Jim Christy, DoD's director of futures exploration, told PCWorld that it is becoming more acceptable to find new recruits at the hacker conference despite its reputation as a subversive forum. Christy said he expects a few hundred conference attendees will be recruited by federal agencies this year, with the Air Force at the head of the pack.

For more on hacker recruitment:
- see this PCWorld.com article