Setting the Standard
Cybersecurity Research: Experts to develop guidelines as part of a federal initiative
UTSA鈥檚 Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security has been tapped by the Department of Homeland Security to lead a collaborative mission to develop national cybersecurity information-sharing standards.
The agency chose UTSA to direct the Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations鈥� Standards Organization with the goal of creating guidelines for private and public entities to share information about cybersecurity risks. The government awarded UTSA a $2 million grant, renewable up to five years, to fund the process.
Greg White, director of the CIAS, says the organization will be encouraging organizations with similar backgrounds to share information, in turn increasing security. White uses banks as an example. 鈥淚f a bank detects an attempted intrusion into their network, there is a good chance that other banks may also be targets of the same attack,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭hose other banks may not have detected the attack yet and would benefit from the warning.鈥�
The team has launched a website to help facilitate discussion and participation, along with providing updates on the process. 鈥淲e want anyone who is interested in cyber颅security standards to be able to provide input,鈥� White says. The ISAO has already held two public forums for feedback. The most recent was held on UTSA鈥檚 Main Campus in February. The end result will be published principles and data standards.
The university is already recognized as the nation鈥檚 leader in cybersecurity education and research. Cybersecurity initiatives are housed within the College of Business, the College of Engineering, and the College of Sciences.