Advancing Innovation Through Collaboration

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National Press Club
Washington, DC
June 25, 2009

"Bridging the Gaps" in Our Nation's Cyber Security:
Connecting Leadership, Policy, and Innovation

Hosted by the Security Innovation Network (SINET), the forum featured opening/closing remarks and three panel discussions, each focusing on a different but related dimension of cyber security. SINET is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization founded three years ago with seed funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology.

Opening Keynote:

Admiral (Ret.) Michael McConnell
Sr. Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton
Former Director National Intelligence

Speakers and Panelists:

Why are the people listed above, from government, academia, industry and the venture capital community coming to Washington DC to speak in unison? They all share a major concern about our nation's cyber security. Join us for Admiral McConnell's opening remarks and three very important panel discussions that will frame the situation, challenges and opportunities relevant to the importance of tying innovation to US cyber and economic security. As our nation's government establishes and staffs new organizations to address this mounting problem, these "change agents" believe there are opportunities to move forward with nimble, incremental and reasonable changes that will enable the United States to effectively deal with these major threats.

The Situation:

Report From the Front Lines - a Non-'Beltway' Perspective
Moderated by NSA, CISOs from some of the largest corporate targets share their views on the cyber threats and challenges confronting their organizations. more...

The Challenges:

The Innovation Crisis in America-Implications for Cyber Security
The perspective from venture capitalists highlights how the global financial crisis and foreign competition are eroding the foundations of America's entrepreneurial growth engine and hampering efforts toward national security. more...

Opportunities and Solutions:

Advancing Innovation through Collaboration: Bridging the Gap Between the Entrepreneurs and Government
Addresses the need for improved collaboration between government and industry, with recommendations for facilitating the awareness and access of innovative technologies and greater entrepreneurial growth. more...

Who should attend:

Security Entrepreneurs, VCs, Private Industry, Government leaders, System Integrators, CISOs, DOD, Researchers and Thought-leaders who want to participate in an intensive and insightful discussion, share perspectives, build face-to-face relationships and explore opportunities to take action.

Why you should participate in this important meeting?

At this moment, thousands of cyber attacks from around the globe are taking place on US government and military networks, our largest commercial enterprises, and the systems controlling our communications and the power grid.

The types of attacks are as varied as their goals. Over 18,000 breaches were recorded by the federal government alone in 2008, not including these more recently publicized cases:

• Heartland Payment Systems, which processes 100 million payment card transactions per month for 175,000 merchants is attacked in potentially the largest consumer data breach in history.
• Computer spies break into and steal data on the Pentagon's $300 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project -- the Defense Department's costliest weapons program ever.
• Virginia State web site is hacked, deleting 8 million patient records that are held ransom for $10 million.
• Hackers steal personal info on 160,000 people from a University California Berkeley health center database.

Repelling these exponentially increasing and successful attacks by terrorists, hackers -- some of which are state sponsored-- and organized criminal groups will require collaboration and coordination between the public and private sectors. Our most innovative and advanced offensive and defensive technological capabilities need to be deployed in a timely manner to counter these threats. A prerequisite for success in this effort is leadership to proactively drive progressive policy initiatives, establishing mechanisms for sharing threat information, and aligning the public and private sectors to create a unified focus on potential solutions to cyber crime.

About SINET:

The Security Innovation Network (SINET) is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization founded three years ago with seed funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate. SINET's "IT Security Entrepreneurs' Forum" hosted at Stanford University, has become one of the most powerful 'must attend' conduits for bringing together security experts, researchers, government leaders, technology innovators and venture capitalist for addressing the intractable and urgent issues surrounding cyber security.

SINET has become a catalyst, connecting individuals and organizations involved with the technical, strategic, legal, economic, and policy aspects of cyber crime. It has built a community of thought leaders in positions of influence who are seeking to collaborate as a single strategic ecosystem to form a unified approach to cyber security.

Founded by Robert D. Rodriguez, a CSO Magazine 2009 Compass Leader Award winner, the Security Innovation Network's unique Forums have been hosted in Silicon Valley at Stanford University for the past three years. This first-in-Washington, DC event at the National Press Club is helping "Bridge the Gaps" amongst our nation's technology innovators, government leadership, private industry, academia, research and the VC communities.

Media Contact:
Joel Greenberg, DCPR joel@dcpr.com Telephone: 202-363-1065 | Celular: 202-669-3639