The University of Texas at San Antonio's
UT San Antonio has been designated by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
The Leader in Advancement of State and Community Cybersecurity
Since its establishment in 2001, the CIAS has been on the leading edge of designing, developing, and delivering high-quality, high-impact cybersecurity programs. The CIAS currently provides cybersecurity programs focused on training, workforce development, K-12 education, information sharing, competitions and simulations, exercises, and research.
25+ Years at UT San Antonio
Ponemon Institute study 2014
Universities.com ranking 2016
National Security Agency
Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research Cyber Operations
K-12 Education
Gaming
Committed to creating a culture of cybersecurity nationwide, the CIAS focuses on K-12 education that introduces students to cybersecurity principles through educational gaming and storytelling. Our goals are to create good cyber hygiene and awareness of cyber careers.
Played In
high-quality, high-impact
Cybersecurity Training
Courses
Seminars
Workshops
Our training efforts focus on improving overall cybersecurity awareness, technical capabilities, professional development and continuity plans. We’ve been helping professionals, organizations and communities prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber incidents for more than 20 years.
Reached
high-quality, high-impact
Competitions
For more than 20 years, the CIAS has hosted competitions such as the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, Panoply and HiveStorm, and (co-founded) CyberPatriot. The CIAS has been developing and conducting competition programs to educate, train and prepare individuals for the cybersecurity workforce since 2005.
2024
World Leader
Leading the ISAO Standards Organization since 2015 and helping SLTTs establish comprehensive cybersecurity programs, the CIAS actively engages the information sharing community to promote secure, rapid and widespread information sharing that helps detect and block cyber-attacks.
Information Sharing
CIAS-ISAO
National Cybersecurity
Preparedness Consortium
Filling the cybersecurity gap since 2004
A Collaboration of Five Universities
Testimonials
This Is What They Say
Press Coverage
We're in the News
University of California, Irvine wins Alamo Cup at 20th National Collegiate Cyber Defense Championship
University of California, Irvine triumphed at the 2025 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Championship (NCCDC), prevailing over nine other finalist teams to earn the coveted Alamo
University of Central Florida wins 2024 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition for Sixth Time
19th annual competition trains the next generation of cybersecurity professionals amid current skills shortage SAN ANTONIO (April 27, 2024) – University of Central Florida competed
The CIAS launches new website to support UTSA’s cybersecurity capabilities
The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is proud to announce the release of its renewed website. The new website features a responsive design that aligns with the university’s main website. It also supports the CIAS mission to deliver quality research, training cyber competitions, K-12 cybersecurity programs to advance community and organizational cybersecurity capabilities and collaboration.
School district pays hefty ransom to resolve cyberattack
(August 4, 2021) — Judson Independent School District paid a more than $500,000 ransom to hackers who threatened to publish “sensitive, identifiable information” on the dark web and crippled the district’s information technology systems for a month, the district announced Wednesday. . . . Ransomware attacks are “one of, if not the most common, attacks impacting organizations” today, said Greg White, UTSA computer science professor and CIAS director.
Senate Passes Cornyn Bill to Enhance Cybersecurity Programs at UTSA, A&M
(November 22, 2019) — U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act, legislation that would authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to work with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) to help prepare for and respond to cybersecurity risks at the national, state, and local levels, passed the Senate.
Angelo State and UTSA Partner for Cybersecurity Pilot Program in San Angelo
SAN ANGELO, Texas (August 26, 2021) – The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, as part of the National Security Agency (NSA), has awarded a grant in the amount of $1.67 million to the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to help communities become more cyber secure nationwide.
Craig Newmark Philanthropies awards grant to CIAS Community Cybersecurity Clinic
The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio has received a $100,000 grant from Craig Newmark Philanthropies
University of Central Florida wins 2022 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
SAN ANTONIO (April 25, 2022) – The University of Central Florida competed against nine other student-led teams to become champion of the 2022 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), presented by the CIAS in partnership with the competition’s presenting sponsor Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business. This year, more than 1,500 competitors from 171 schools across the country participated in the 17th annual NCCDC, held in San Antonio from April 21-23.