Steven Knapp opened the inaugural event launching the George Washington University Cybersecurity Initiative. Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff gave the opening address. He said cybersecurity was an ongoing challenge the U.S. faces every day. He added that in order to address the vulnerabilities effectively there needs to be a public-private partnership. Representative Michael McCaul, the incoming chair of the Homeland Security Committee, and Representative Mike Rogers, chair of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, then made opening remarks in a panel discussion. They agreed that information sharing between the government and private sector was critical to identifying threats and best practices. The panelists responded to questions from members of the audience.