As cyberattacks continue to hammer networks and critical infrastructure across the globe — threatening economic stability and global trust — it has never been more important for both the public and private sectors to work together on resilient security solutions.

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Last month, the Cybersecurity Coalition and the Cyber Threat Alliance hosted the ninth annual CyberNext DC conference to discuss key policy developments across the cybersecurity industry. This year’s event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, think tanks and other stakeholders and included a diverse set of keynote speakers and panel discussions.

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Ari Schwartz, Executive Director of the Cybersecurity Coalition, kicked off the event with opening remarks. He expressed concern about Congress’s failure to reauthorize the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015), which expired at the end of September of this year. He emphasized that the landmark cybersecurity legislation was successful in establishing more open information sharing and encouraged Congress to reauthorize the law to continue this critical flow of information.

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During her keynote address, Megan Stifel, Chief Strategy Officer at the Institute for Security and Technology, detailed the current cyber policy landscape through the eyes of the Ransomware Task Force, highlighting “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of today’s cyber threats. She also emphasized the White House’s opportunity to address gaps in America’s cybersecurity systems and create new policies that better protect citizens from potential attacks.

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CyberNextDC also featured a series of panels throughout the day, with security experts across both the private and public sectors, addressing several cybersecurity topics in today’s landscape, including:

• The shift to a more proactive security approach by actors in the cyber space
• Protecting critical infrastructure from attacks 
• Global efforts to shape cybersecurity standards
• The need for greater resilience in offensive cyber operations 

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During a panel discussion titled “The Next Disruption: Agentic AI and the Business of Cybersecurity,” security leaders explored how AI can be used to promote the country’s cyber efforts. The panel featured Michael Daniel, President & CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance; Kevin Reifsteck, Director for Cybersecurity Policy at Microsoft; Sasha O'Connell, Senior Director for Cybersecurity Programs at Aspen Digital; Michael Sikorski, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Engineering at Palo Alto Networks; and Camille Stewart Gloster, CEO and Principal of CAS Strategies, LLC. 

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Each participant offered his or her insights on how AI can address issues such as early risk detection, the hiring process for cyber positions, and support in education and training campaigns.

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Interested in learning more about the insights shared and the future of cybersecurity? Watch the full event here.

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At the Glen Echo Group, we are proud to support these convenings of leading experts to address critical cyber issues and to promote positive policy solutions. Interested in hosting an event that resonates? Reach out to us.

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