DHS slates cybersecurity summit

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will host an infrastructure-focused cybersecurity summit July 31 at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in New York City.

The summit will feature officials from the Department of Defense, National Security Agency, FBI and other federal agencies.

They'll be joined by academic and industry leaders from the telecom, financial and energy sectors to "lay out a vision for a collective defense model to protect our nation's critical infrastructure," DHS officials said in a press release.

“With the majority of critical infrastructure owned and operated by the private sector, it is essential that we maintain strong partnerships between DHS and the private sector to underpin our collective defense against the evolving threats we all face," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

The summit — which will feature panel discussions, keynote addresses and breakout sessions — will serve as a launching point for other DHS initiatives aimed at boosting cybersecurity and risk management for critical infrastructure.

"There is an evident need for a coordinated, cross-sector, government-industry effort to protect our nation's critical infrastructure from the growing cybersecurity threat," said Christopher Krebs, undersecretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate.