Obama says upgrading U.S. cybersecurity is complex, long-term job

[February 18, 2016]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday the United States is not as organized as it needs to be to step up its protections against cyber threats, and that making improvements would be a complex task lasting well beyond his time in office.

Obama made his comments after meeting in the Oval Office with two advisers who will lead a new commission tasked with making recommendations by the end of the year on a long-term plan for cybersecurity upgrades.

Obama did not respond to questions from reporters about a court order demanding that Apple Inc unlock an iPhone of one of the shooters in December's attacks in San Bernardino, California.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

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