Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security
Encyclopedia
The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) is an operational element of the Institute for Cyber Security (ICS) of the University of Texas at San Antonio
(UTSA). The CIAS conducts activities in three major areas: Cyber Security Exercise Programs (sometimes referred to as darkScreen), Cyber Security Training, and Cyber Security Defense Competitions.
The Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM), developed by the CIAS, serves as the roadmap for many of its activities.
CIAS efforts have been conducted through grants from the U.S. Department of Defense
, Department of Homeland Security and through private partnerships. Largely as a result of early CIAS activities, UTSA was the first university in Texas to receive designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency
. Texas currently has the most universities of any state in the country with these designations. President Obama's May 2009 Cyberspace Policy Review specifically mentions the CIAS's National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
(NCCDC) as an example of key education programs that can ensure the Nation’s continued ability to compete in the information age economy.
University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas at San Antonio, commonly referred to as UTSA, is a state university in San Antonio, Texas. With an enrollment of more than 30,000 students, it is the third-largest of nine universities and six health institutions in the University of Texas System and the eighth-largest in...
(UTSA). The CIAS conducts activities in three major areas: Cyber Security Exercise Programs (sometimes referred to as darkScreen), Cyber Security Training, and Cyber Security Defense Competitions.
The Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM), developed by the CIAS, serves as the roadmap for many of its activities.
CIAS efforts have been conducted through grants from the U.S. Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, Department of Homeland Security and through private partnerships. Largely as a result of early CIAS activities, UTSA was the first university in Texas to receive designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
. Texas currently has the most universities of any state in the country with these designations. President Obama's May 2009 Cyberspace Policy Review specifically mentions the CIAS's National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
The National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition is the championship event for the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition system – the largest college-level cyber defense competition in the world...
(NCCDC) as an example of key education programs that can ensure the Nation’s continued ability to compete in the information age economy.