As passengers waited in seemingly endless lines to get through airport security this summer, the Transportation Safety Administration encouraged travelers to sign up for its PreCheck program, which offers expedited screening. The TSA set a goal of enrolling 25 million Americans, but a lack of personnel and “cybersecurity risks” have jolted those plans to a standstill. 

The Los Angeles Times reports that the TSA sent a letter to potential vendors, explaining that it had paused expansion of PreCheck because of “increased and evolving cybersecurity risks over the past year.”

TSA brings on outside vendors to register PreCheck participants. According to the Times report, the agency has concerns about the vulnerability of passenger information that it provides when testing potential vendors.

The agency, which says it has enrolled four million Americans into the PreCheck program, plans to issue new requests for private vendors soon, noting that any potential hires will adhere to Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity best practices.

Despite the setback, TSA administrator Peter Neffenger tells the Times that he does not foresee significant wait times at airports during the upcoming busy holiday travel time, thanks in part to the more than 13,000 employees hired over the summer.

Expansion of TSA PreCheck program suffers setback [The Los Angeles Times]

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