We’ve had some exciting activity in the U.S. federal sector at Palo Alto Networks over the past year and we have more in store for 2017 with the launch of our inaugural Federal Ignite conference in Washington, D.C. next October. With the end of the year around the corner, I wanted to share more about the incredible momentum we’ve had in the public sector in 2016 and preview what we have on deck in the new year.
Palo Alto Networks Launches Public Sector Subsidiary
As we continue to expand our presence in the public sector, I’m pleased to announce that we have recently launched a new federal subsidiary and public sector business unit, Palo Alto Networks Public Sector, LLC. We are committed to bringing our next-generation security platform to public sector customers who want to leverage our innovative breach prevention technology. Based in Reston, Virginia, the new subsidiary will work with our channel partners to provide Palo Alto Networks products and services to the U.S. government and will be exclusively focused on the U.S. federal marketplace.
Cybersecurity is a top concern for every organization, especially federal entities. Legacy and point products that were built for another time are no longer able to thwart today’s attackers, and are falling short in addressing today’s cybersecurity challenges. Our next-generation security platform prevents threats across the entire attack lifecycle simply and seamlessly by automating security in a way that transcends individual capabilities and is easily deployed as either hardware or software, in the network, on endpoints and in the cloud.
As president and director of the newly launched subsidiary, I’m looking forward to working hand-in-hand with our Federal Chief Security Officer John Davis, who will serve as the subsidiary’s Vice President, to continue our public sector momentum in in 2017.
Former FBI Cyber Division Leader Jim Trainor Joins Palo Alto Networks Public Sector Advisory Council
We’re excited to announce that Jim Trainor, Senior Vice President of Aon’s Cyber Solutions Group and former Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cyber Division, has joined our Public Sector Advisory Council. In the final years of his distinguished two-decade career at the FBI, Jim led the bureau’s Cyber Division and played a critical role in spearheading major high-profile investigations and managed numerous incidents at the nexus of cybercrime and national security. Jim also developed the FBI’s strategies to combat emerging forms of cybercrime, such as ransomware.
Our Public Sector Advisory Council is comprised of a distinguished group of retired military, intelligence, civilian and law enforcement leaders who advise the company on the cybersecurity challenges and technology needs of the world’s governments. Jim’s cybersecurity expertise and experience is an incredible asset to our council and we’re thrilled to have him join our esteemed team of council members.
Palo Alto Networks Signs Agreement with DHS to Join Automated Indicator Sharing Program
Palo Alto Networks has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to join Automated Indicator Sharing (AIS), the public-private sector cyber threat information sharing program established by the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. To participate in the program, the company will be leveraging MineMeld—a Palo Alto Networks-developed open source information sharing platform that allows for the integration of multiple public, private and commercial intelligence feeds and sharing languages, including the STIX-formatted data used by the AIS program. Through our participation in AIS, Palo Alto Networks will receive cyber threat indicators from DHS in real-time via MineMeld, enabling greater visibility into new threats and providing better protection for our customers.
Save the Date: Palo Alto Networks Inaugural Federal Ignite Conference
Palo Alto Networks is hosting our first-ever Federal Ignite conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, October 24 at the Grand Hyatt Washington. Our Federal Ignite conference reflects an evolution of our Federal Forum, which in 2016 featured cybersecurity leaders from the White House, Congress, civilian agencies, the intelligence community and the military. 2016 keynotes included Federal CIO Tony Scott; U.S. Cyber Command Commander and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers; Congressman Will Hurd (R-Texas), who introduced his Modernizing Obsolete and Vulnerable Enterprise IT (MOVE IT) Act at the event; as well as our own CEO and Chairman Mark McLaughlin, who also serves as Chairman of the President’s National Security and Telecommunications Advisory Committee.
Join leading government, cyber and industry professionals for an interactive one-day discussion on breach prevention that’s tailored exclusively for the U.S. federal market. Our Federal Ignite conference will offer highly technical, interactive and educational sessions that will provide actionable best practices to improve your organization’s security posture and also provide qualification for CPE credits. Registration is now open and stay tuned to this space for more event announcements- you won’t want to miss it!