News & Updates
To request an interview with the CIAS or learn more about the following articles, contact Julina Macy or email cias@utsa.edu.
University leaders name new executive director of the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security
“Natalie brings continuity and a clear understanding of CIAS’s mission,” said Fred Martin, interim dean of the College of AI, Cyber and Computing at UT
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
Cyber Threat Defender Wins Silver Medal in Serious Play Awards Annual International Competition
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is proud
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
UTSA awarded $500K grant from Google to expand CIAS cybersecurity clinic
The UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) received a $500,000 grant from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund to grow the UTSA/CIAS Cyber Clinic. The clinic is a long-term initiative focused on strengthening cybersecurity knowledge among UTSA students and the community at large by hosting on-campus classes and workshops at the offices of local organizations.
U.S. Department of Education invites Alan CyBear to teach kids about cybersecurity
Alan CyBear, the “Smokey Bear” of cybersecurity, made an appearance in Washington, D.C. last week with the CIAS at the 9th Annual ED Games Expo,
Stanford University wins 2023 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
18th annual competition trains next generation of cybersecurity professionals DALLAS (May 1, 2023) – Stanford University competed against nine other student-led teams to become champion
Field Set for 2023 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition Championship
Top 10 teams in the nation will meet in Dallas to compete April 28-30 DALLAS, TEXAS—The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The
UTSA supporting White House Office of the National Cybersecurity Director workforce initiatives
With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is hosting a conference to accelerate workforce initiatives prioritized
Introducing Alan CyBear, the Smokey Bear of Cybersecurity
The cultural icon Smokey Bear, with his yellow hat and wildfire prevention tagline, has been familiar to Americans for decades. Likewise, McGruff the Crime Dog, who encouraged the public to “Take a bite out of crime.” Today, younger generations have the Safetypup to help children learn about safety issues from law enforcement.
Each of these famous characters has helped encourage a culture of security. But what about a culture of cybersecurity?
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.
Incident Response – Lessons to be Better Prepared
BLOG — Incident response addresses the question: “How well did you prepare?” Your response to that question is directly related to your preparation. This supports the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—or response. This article takes a look at five basic lessons to consider when mitigating incidents to help you prepare and prevent a potential cyber incident.
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.
Six (Easy) Cyber Security Tips for Travelers
BLOG – Before your family begins to plan out your travel games and scenic views in favor of their favorite electronic pastime, make sure you, your friends and family are prepped and ready to travel. And no, this doesn’t simply mean making sure the car’s oil has been changed or everyone’s passports are current.
Take a few minutes to read our top six cyber security tips for travelers. It’s easier than you think to be a cyber secure traveler today.
Learn How to Create an Effective Password
BLOG – To create effective passwords, let’s begin by making sure we’re all on the same page about what is a password.
Passwords are a form of identification that people use to prove their identity when logging in to a system. Create an effective password that is memorable, but complex. Generally, longer passwords are stronger passwords. If you forget a password or it is easily accessible by others, then that password is no longer useful or effective.
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.
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.
University of Central Florida wins 2021 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Championship
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (March 9, 2021) — University of Central Florida prevailed over nine other schools to win the 2021 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and the coveted Alamo Cup. The national championship, sponsored by Raytheon Technologies Corporation, was held in an entirely virtual setting.