AUSTIN, Texas - June 5, 2007

The University of Texas at Austin Center for Information Assurance and Security (CIAS), a multi-disciplinary center housed in the Department of Computer Sciences, has achieved the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) courseware certification. The certification meets the requirements for Information Systems Security Professionals and for System Certifiers certifications and is an important step toward earning a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education designation.

Reliable and innovative cyber security solutions are key to commercial and national security given that information security affects daily life, business and governmental operations. Research highlighted by CIAS illustrates the problem: cyber criminals target nearly 1 in 5 companies with cyber extortion including theft of customer data and destruction or theft of intellectual property by cyber criminals; 1 in 20 U.S. adults were victims of on-line fraud and 1 in 50 were victims of identity theft; 105 million people have had their data compromised. Electronic crime is on the rise, despite the use of firewalls and physical security systems.

The National Center of Academic Excellence designation and course of study will attract top talent to The University of Texas at Austin to study security issues and fill a national need for trained security professionals.

"CIAS's research and education efforts strive to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure and address growing security risks in both business and governmental sectors. This certification is an important milestone in The University of Texas's ability to fill the significant education gap for data security professionals," said Dr. Mike Dahlin, Associate Director of CIAS.

The University of Texas at Austin CIAS receives an official certificate, signed by the Committee on National Security Systems Chair, at a June 5, 2007 Awards Ceremony during the 11th Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE) held at Boston University.

Contact the University of Texas Department of Computer Sciences Center for Information Assurance and Security (CIAS):

Phone: 512-232-7891
Email: aleshire@cs.utexas.edu

For additional information:

• CISSE 2007
• The Committee on National Security Systems
• IA Courseware Evaluation Program
• UT Center for Information Assurance and Security
• Information Security Center Established At University of Texas at Austin (2004)
• UTCS Professor Fred Chang Teams with US Navy on Cybersecurity Project
• UTCS research professor, Frederick R. Chang, appointed to the National Academies Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB)