WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Tar Heel state played a central role in a conversation about digital security on Capitol Hill this week.

  • The forum was organized by Rep. Robert Pittenger
  • It served as a chance for leaders to learn the latest on cyber security
  • Leaders from Europe, South America, Africa, and other parts of the world participated

The 12th Parliamentary Intelligence Security Forum, organized by North Carolina congressman Robert Pittenger, brought together legislative leaders from the world over.

The event, which took place Thursday in Washington, served as a chance for leaders to learn the latest on cyber security, with panels on everything from protecting personal data to combatting terrorism and organized crime online.

“All these are important for them to better understand so they can go back to their country and be a stronger collaborator with us,” Pittenger said.

Leaders from Europe, South America, Africa, and other parts of the world participated in the forum. Business leaders were also there, including a representative from the Cary, NC-based company SAS. J.R. Helmig, who works on global security intelligence for SAS, says that in the digital era, threats are constantly changing shape and adapting, putting people and governments in the crosshairs.

“We cannot hope to stumble our way through this. We have to be proactively be screening, monitoring and managing,” Helmig said.

Charlotte City Councilmember Tariq Bohkari also attended the event. He says warding off cyber threats is not just a job for national governments, but municipal governments as well. He argues cooperation is key.

“We’ve seen bills and bundles of money come out to help us with fire, police safety, communications,” he said. “Today is a new age where we have to deploy that same sort of model to the cyber threats out there.”

 

 

While Pittenger is set to leave Congress early next year, he says his work on these forums is not done. He is already planning gatherings for next year, including in Paraguay, Israel and Togo.

“There’s so much to learn dealing with cyber security, it evolves and it is growing,” he said. “You get a handle on it, it squishes, and its gone.”

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