During the government shutdown, we know the mission doesn't stop. Threat actors don't wait, and with October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we believe our work to defend our nation's critical assets is more important than ever.
That’s why Public Sector Ignite 2025 will proceed as planned. We’re committed to hosting this crucial forum for the community to reinforce our collective defense.
The future of the US public sector is being built today, driven by an AI transformation that's reshaping how public sector organizations operate and serve citizens. This new digital way of life offers incredible opportunities for mission advancement, but it also creates massive cyber risk. This often forces public sector leaders to question if security is a barrier to progress.
Public sector organizations operate under constant pressure to protect highly sensitive data and adhere to stringent regulations, while simultaneously optimizing resources, driving operational efficiency and ensuring cybersecurity enables, rather than hinders, mission advancement within strict budget constraints.
It's time to reframe cybersecurity as a critical enabler of innovation and mission success.
Public Sector Ignite is the essential one-day event where you'll learn how to stop chasing threats and start building a resilient defense for what's next in the US public sector. Join your peers and our leading experts to discover a new security strategy — one that empowers you to confidently embrace revolutionary technologies and securely unleash your organization's critical mission to protect national security and public safety.
Discover how to:
- Transform your SOC for the AI era: Learn how to scale and enhance your security operations center to combat the sophisticated, AI-powered attacks targeting public sector entities today and tomorrow.
- Harness AI and agentics safely for government operations: Embrace AI's potential within your agency without introducing new risk. We'll show you how to embed security throughout the entire AI lifecycle to accelerate your AI-driven transformations securely and compliantly. Get a head start with the administration’s focus on operationalizing the AI Action Plan.
- Simplify public sector security and reduce complexity: Discover how to leverage a single, AI-powered platform to reduce operational complexity and automate manual tasks — freeing your teams to focus on mission-critical innovation rather than constant threat management.
This year’s Public Sector Ignite will take place at the Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, on October 30, 2025. Public Sector Ignite 2025 is free to attend.
Capital One Hall
7750 Capital One Tower Rd
Tysons, VA 22102
Premium Parking for all Capital One Hall Events is located in the Hotel/Event Garage (1625 Capital One Drive North, Tysons, VA 22102). This parking facility is attached to Capital One Hall and offers exclusive entry access directly from the Hotel/Event Garage. Please mention to the parking attendant that you are attending Public Sector Ignite to have your parking fees waived.
Log in to your registration account using the credentials that you created during registration. For any other questions, please contact publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
If you have any additional questions, please email the Palo Alto Networks Public Sector Ignite 2025 event team at publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all attendees. Hors d'oeuvres will be served at the networking reception. If you have dietary restrictions, please note this during your registration or reach out to publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
Attendees from the public sector (defined as employees of the US federal government, state and local government and education employees) should consult their internal compliance requirements and obtain approval from the appropriate ethics or compliance official prior to accepting an invitation to any event offering gratuitous items such as meals and other business courtesies. If you have any questions about this event, you may reach out to publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
Can attendees accrue Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits during Public Sector Ignite 2025?
Yes, attendees will be able to earn CPE credits during Public Sector Ignite 2025. Attendees will have to sign in and out of the CPE sheet at the registration desk on site on October 30. To receive a CPE certificate, please reach out to the Palo Alto Networks Public Sector Ignite 2025 event team at publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
There is no fee to attend Public Sector Ignite, however Public Sector attendees (defined as employees of the U.S. federal government, state and local governments and public education institutions) should always consult with their organization's ethics or compliance officer to ensure their compliance with relevant laws, statutes, and gift rules and to obtain necessary approval prior to attending an event offering free admission and accepting any gratuitous items. (The estimated market value of meals and courtesies offered by Palo Alto Networks to attendees at this event is $175.00 per person.) Please direct any questions to publicsectorignite@paloaltonetworks.com.
GovExec is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org.
After completing this course, you will be able to: understand how organizations enable cyber resilience without hindering the mission, understand what the AI-driven threat landscape look like today and understand how organizations design and implement effective defenses against advanced cyber threats despite resource constraints,
To register for this session, enter your information here. If you would like to indicate interest in receiving CPE credit, please contact Tracy after the event at tkerley@govexec.com. In order to receive full credit as an in-person attendee you must attend for at least 50 minutes and sign in and out at the registration desk on-site on October 30.
Participants will earn up to 6 CPE credits in Information Technology. Participants will earn 1 CPE credit for each 50 minutes of participation.
Field of Study: Information Technology
Additional Information Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: All cybersecurity professionals, including: CIOs/CISOs, VPs of IT, Network engineers/architects, SOC engineers, DevOps and cloud architects, IT directors/managers, and anyone else who is interested in learning about the future of cybersecurity in the public sector.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Live
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Women in Technology Breakfast
Public sector organizations face some of the toughest cybersecurity challenges, from nation-state threats to safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring mission continuity. Meeting these demands takes more than technical expertise; it requires resilient leaders who can balance innovation, accountability, and mission priorities. Women leaders in this space bring unique perspectives shaped by adaptability, mentorship, and a drive to create lasting change. In this fireside chat, leaders will share how they began their careers, the skills that shaped their success, and the challenges they encountered as women in cybersecurity. They will discuss the role of mentorship, the best advice they’ve received, their approaches to adversity, and the personal habits that guide their leadership journey.
AI vs. AI: Revolutionizing SecOps with the AI-powered SOC
The scale and complexity of today’s cyber threats are overwhelming government Security Operations Centers (SOCs). Adversaries are faster, more coordinated, and increasingly using automation and AI to exploit vulnerabilities. SOC teams face a flood of alerts, leading to fatigue, missed threats, and rising risk. At the same time, maintaining legacy SOCs is becoming more expensive, stretching limited budgets and staff. With the gap widening between threat speed and response capability, agencies must rethink their approach. The challenge now is how IT and security leaders can move from reactive operations to a smarter, more autonomous model that strengthens defense and reduces strain on teams. In this session, public sector cybersecurity leaders will explore how agencies can modernize their SOCs with advanced AI and intelligent orchestration. They’ll discuss moving beyond basic automation to deploy predictive threat intelligence, automated threat hunting, and near real-time remediation. Speakers will share strategies for streamlining workflows across complex environments, helping lean teams respond faster and more effectively. The conversation will also highlight how to responsibly integrate AI, free up analysts for high-value work, and improve visibility and resilience. Real-world examples will shed light on the technical, policy, and cultural shifts needed to build a more autonomous and adaptive cyber defense posture.
Quantum Leap: Driving National Preparedness with Post-Quantum Cryptography
As quantum computing technology advances, it introduces significant challenges for traditional cryptographic systems. This evolution highlights the urgent need for national preparedness in adopting post-quantum cryptography. The remarkable computational power of quantum computers threatens to undermine existing encryption methods, placing sensitive data at unprecedented risk. In response to these emerging threats, agencies are proactively exploring quantum-resistant encryption solutions to strengthen national security and ensure the integrity of critical communications in a world increasingly influenced by quantum technology. During this conversation, public sector leaders will come together to discuss why national preparedness is vital in addressing the emerging threats posed by quantum computing. They will delve into innovative strategies for implementing post-quantum cryptography, sharing valuable insights on transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption methods.
Quantum Leap: Driving National Preparedness with Post-Quantum Cryptography
As quantum computing technology advances, it introduces significant challenges for traditional cryptographic systems. This evolution highlights the urgent need for national preparedness in adopting post-quantum cryptography. The remarkable computational power of quantum computers threatens to undermine existing encryption methods, placing sensitive data at unprecedented risk. In response to these emerging threats, agencies are proactively exploring quantum-resistant encryption solutions to strengthen national security and ensure the integrity of critical communications in a world increasingly influenced by quantum technology. During this conversation, public sector leaders will come together to discuss why national preparedness is vital in addressing the emerging threats posed by quantum computing. They will delve into innovative strategies for implementing post-quantum cryptography, sharing valuable insights on transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption methods.
The AI Arms Race: A Fireside Chat with Unit 42
A riveting fireside chat on the new reality of AI-supercharged cybercrime. Adversarial AI has accelerated the speed of attacks, allowing even low-skilled actors to launch sophisticated campaigns, including convincing deepfakes, at machine speed—often ten times faster than traditional methods.
Drawing on exclusive insights from hundreds of real-world Unit 42 incident-response engagements, our experts will dissect the latest AI-driven tactics being used across the entire attack chain. You'll learn field-tested defenses you can deploy now to protect your organization and stay ahead in the escalating AI arms race. This discussion will provide a critical look at the threats facing us today and the strategies required to stop them.
Zero Trust Device Security for the Public Sector: A Joint Strategy from CDW and Palo Alto Networks
With ever expanding attacks on critical infrastructure and an exponential rise in vulnerabilities, in Federal and State agencies, delivering security to the edge of these networks is a necessity. Join this session to discover how Palo Alto Networks and CDW partnered to secure 8,000 remote network nodes for a state Department of Transportation and deliver valuable customer outcomes including:
- Visibility into the security posture of thousands of IOT devices
- Policy enforcement
- Inspection at the network edge
- Virtual patching to mitigate vulnerability exploits
Mission Possible: Cloud Strategies for Next Generation Security
As government agencies accelerate their shift to cloud-based infrastructure, they’re not only transforming operations and service delivery but also encountering a new set of cybersecurity imperatives. Security Operations Centers (SOCs) now face the challenge of securing sensitive data and mission-critical systems within a complex, rapidly evolving cloud environment. For agency leaders, the question is clear: how can they capitalize on the advantages of the cloud while fortifying security, ensuring resilience, and maintaining compliance?
In this forward-looking panel, will bring together cloud security experts and government leaders to examine SOC integration within cloud environments. Leaders will share insights from recent implementations, strategies for strengthening SOC capabilities, and best practices for threat detection, incident response, and data protection across multi-cloud setups. The discussion offers practical guidance and forecasts on the future of SOC operations in a cloud-driven landscape, empowering agencies to enhance the security and impact of their cloud investments.
AI Keynote
AI is transforming how organizations operate — from improving services to enabling autonomous decision-making. Yet innovation without security can expose sensitive data, models, and systems to new threats such as prompt injection, model manipulation, and data leakage. Learn how Palo Alto Networks helps enterprises Secure AI by Design with a unified platform that protects users, applications, agents, and models — ensuring every AI system operates with integrity, transparency, and accountability at scale.
Accelerating Zero Trust Through the Power of the Platform
The Indian Health Service (IHS) faces constant pressure to protect sensitive patient data, including Electronic Health Records (EHRs), from cyber threats while adhering to stringent regulations such as HIPAA and FedRAMP. To meet these demands, IHS must adopt a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and advance through the Zero Trust Maturity Model (ZTMM).
Palo Alto Networks delivers a comprehensive cybersecurity platform that enables IHS to secure networks, IoT devices, cloud workloads, and endpoints while safeguarding EHR systems. By integrating solutions such as Strata Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS), IoT Security, Prisma Access with PAN-OS SD-WAN, Cortex XSOAR, Cortex XDR, Xpanse, and Prisma Cloud, IHS can strengthen security, ensure regulatory compliance, and progress through the ZTMM to achieve a mature Zero Trust posture. This unified approach ensures robust data protection, operational efficiency, and enhanced patient safety.
Expert Panel: Security is Solvable - Insights on Cybersecurity Best Practices
As the public sector embraces an AI transformation, agencies face a critical need to secure this new digital frontier. Join three of our key partners for a panel on how they are helping government agencies navigate this complex landscape. You'll learn how to securely and compliantly adopt AI, simplify operations, and build a resilient defense to enable mission advancement. This session will demonstrate how strategic partnerships are crucial to making security a solvable endeavor and unleashing the full potential of AI.
Unpacking CMMC — Driving Defense Industrial Base Resilience
Matt Travis is the CEO of the Cyber AB -- the accreditation body for the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). He has a distinguished national security career, including service as the Deputy Director of CISA. In this fireside chat, he breaks down what the cyber community should anticipate with the imminent November 10 effective date of CMMC -- at which point CMMC requirements will begin integration into the defense contracting process. CMMC is a far-reaching effort that has spanned three different administrations. Matt Travis has been a driving force in these efforts, and will break down what the implementation of CMMC means for our collective defense and the resilience of the federal enterprise.
Promoting Federal Cyber Resilience
As the federal enterprise rapidly integrates artificial intelligence into its operations, the cybersecurity landscape is shifting just as quickly. Agencies are being challenged to not only defend against increasingly sophisticated nation state threats but also to build resilience that keeps pace with emerging technologies. This conversation will explore how government and industry leaders can drive measurable improvements in cyber outcomes by embracing smarter, more efficient strategies, leveraging AI to strengthen defenses, streamline operations, and anticipate future risks before they materialize. In this session, we will hear insights from the leader of CISA's Cybersecurity Division about how the agency is maturing its capabilities to drive enhanced federal cyber resilience.