Ever wondered if there was such thing as a “hacker-friendly” member of Congress? We found some and convinced them to come to DEF CON so you can meet them too! In this first-of-its-kind DEF CON session, two of the most hacker-friendly Congress critters will join DEF CON for an engaging and interactive session with the security research community.
Join the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative for a candid discussion with Representatives Will Hurd (R-TX) and James Langevin (D-RI). The two Congressmen will share their thoughts on the latest developments in cybersecurity policymaking on the Hill and provide a unique opportunity for the audience to ask questions, exchange ideas, and maybe even answer some of the Congressmen’s questions.
Rep Hurd was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He attended John Marshall High School and Texas A&M University, where he majored in Computer Science and served as Student Body President. After college, Will served as an undercover officer in the CIA in the Middle East and South Asia for nearly a decade, collecting intelligence that influenced the National Security agenda. Upon leaving the CIA, he became a Senior Advisor with a cybersecurity firm, covering a wide range of complex challenges faced by manufacturers, financial institutions, retailers, and critical infrastructure owners. He was also a partner with a strategic advisory firm helping businesses expand into international markets. In 2015, Will was elected to the 114th Congress and currently serves on the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform and chairs the Information Technology Subcommittee. He also sits on the Committee on Homeland Security and is the Vice Chair of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee. In 2017, Will was appointed by Speaker Ryan to serve on the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee, to replace Representative Mike Pompeo upon his confirmation as Director of the CIA.
Rep. Langevin first ran for office in 1986, when he was elected a Delegate to Rhode Island’s Constitutional Convention and served as its secretary. Two years later, he won election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In 1994, Langevin defeated a Republican incumbent to become the nation’s youngest Secretary of State. He transformed the office into “the people’s partner in government” and took on the challenge of reforming Rhode Island’s outdated election system. Langevin also established the state’s Public Information Center and, with Brown University, published “Access Denied,” which examined the General Assembly’s compliance with the Open Meetings Law and documented routine and widespread violations. In 1998, Langevin easily won re-election to his second term as Secretary of State, achieving the largest plurality of any general officer in this century, and in 2000, he made a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he has served the Second Congressional District ever since. Langevin graduated from Rhode Island College and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He resides in Warwick, Rhode Island
Rep Hurd was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He attended John Marshall High School and Texas A&M University, where he majored in Computer Science and served as Student Body President. After college, Will served as an undercover officer in the CIA in the Middle East and South Asia for nearly a decade, collecting intelligence that influenced the National Security agenda. Upon leaving the CIA, he became a Senior Advisor with a cybersecurity firm, covering a wide range of complex challenges faced by manufacturers, financial institutions, retailers, and critical infrastructure owners. He was also a partner with a strategic advisory firm helping businesses expand into international markets. In 2015, Will was elected to the 114th Congress and currently serves on the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform and chairs the Information Technology Subcommittee. He also sits on the Committee on Homeland Security and is the Vice Chair of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee. In 2017, Will was appointed by Speaker Ryan to serve on the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee, to replace Representative Mike Pompeo upon his confirmation as Director of the CIA.
Rep. Langevin first ran for office in 1986, when he was elected a Delegate to Rhode Island’s Constitutional Convention and served as its secretary. Two years later, he won election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In 1994, Langevin defeated a Republican incumbent to become the nation’s youngest Secretary of State. He transformed the office into “the people’s partner in government” and took on the challenge of reforming Rhode Island’s outdated election system. Langevin also established the state’s Public Information Center and, with Brown University, published “Access Denied,” which examined the General Assembly’s compliance with the Open Meetings Law and documented routine and widespread violations. In 1998, Langevin easily won re-election to his second term as Secretary of State, achieving the largest plurality of any general officer in this century, and in 2000, he made a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he has served the Second Congressional District ever since. Langevin graduated from Rhode Island College and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He resides in Warwick, Rhode Island
Joshua Corman is the director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Brent Scowcroft Center and a founder of I am The Cavalry (dot org). Corman previously served as CTO for Sonatype, director of security intelligence for Akamai, and in senior research and strategy roles for The 451 Group and IBM Internet Security Systems. He co-founded @RuggedSoftware and @IamTheCavalry to encourage new security approaches in response to the world's increasing dependence on digital infrastructure. Josh's unique approach to security in the context of human factors, adversary motivations, and social impact has helped position him as one of the most trusted names in security. He also serving as an adjunct faculty for Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College and on the 2016 HHS Cybersecurity Task Force.