The focus on eradicating hackers from victimized organizations sets the new Cybersecurity Directorate apart from old defense-focused branches of the NSA.

In cybersecurity probes of Pentagon weapon systems in recent years, pen-testers were able to wrest control of systems with relative ease, according to GAO.

Col. Tim Brooks, the mission assurance division chief in the Department of Army Management Office, said a lack of dialogue between contractors is causing headaches as the military looks to harden its systems.