TRUST IS THE NEW BATTLEGROUND: CYBER DEFENSE FROM Y2K TO AGENTIC AI

The 21^st century has delivered remarkable innovation—from smartphones to generative AI—while introducing new risks, from Y2K-era legacy constraints to today’s AI-enabled deception and "hallucinations."

This session traces how cybersecurity in state and local government has evolved across this millennium: the inflection points that changed the threat landscape, the practices that proved durable, and the hard lessons learned while protecting critical infrastructure, services, data, and residents.

It then looks ahead to what’s next—zero trust, identity-first security, and the rise of agentic AI—so attendees leave with practical guidance they can apply immediately: what to prioritize, what to modernize, and how to communicate risk and investment needs to leadership.

Grounded in candid, real-world stories from the front lines, the presentation is delivered through the lens of a former State Government CISO, three-time author, and award-winning weekly blogger—bringing a fresh, actionable perspective for public-sector cyber leaders and practitioners.