Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security

What Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security does

CIAS is a research center within The University of Texas at San Antonio, established in 2001 with initial $5 million in Department of Defense funding, that operates as a mission-driven provider of state, community, and workforce cybersecurity programs rather than a commercial vendor. Its core portfolio spans four interlocking lines: (1) cybersecurity competitions — co-founding CyberPatriot with the Air Force Association (the world's largest cyber defense competition) and operating NCCDC, Hivestorm, and Panoply, which together engage 1,500–2,100+ competitors from roughly 200 colleges and tens of thousands of K-12 students annually; (2) the Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM), a proprietary five-level framework that maps to NIST CSF and DoD CMMC and underpins CIAS-ISAO and Texas ISAO information-sharing services; (3) K-12 and educational products including the Cyber Threat Defender, Protector, and Guardian card games, the CyBear mascots, and microtrainings; and (4) SLTT-focused services delivered via the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) and the C4 Community Cybersecurity Clinic, which provides no-cost vulnerability assessments, policy development, and incident response support.

CIAS monetizes this portfolio through a hybrid of federal and philanthropic grants (DHS/FEMA, NSA, CISA, DoD, Google, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Gula Tech Foundation) — which constitute the majority of funding — supplemented by modest commercial revenue from card-game and merchandise sales (e.g., $10 per CTD tournament player), tiered CIAS-ISAO memberships (freemium plus paid tiers with consultation hours), and customized training engagements. The organization is anchored by three NSA Centers of Academic Excellence designations (Cyber Defense Education, Research, and Operations), leadership of the ISAO Standards Organization since 2015, and a 20+ year track record in community cybersecurity exercises beginning with Dark Screen in 2002.

CIAS is a for-profit legal entity classified as private, but operationally functions as a university research center with 11–50 employees headquartered at One UTSA Circle in San Antonio. Its customer base is highly concentrated in the public sector — state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, K-12 and higher education institutions — and its distribution runs primarily through competitions, ISAO membership, and direct grant-funded training delivery rather than traditional enterprise sales.

Name

Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security

Legal name

The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security

Website

https://cias.utsa.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security is a UTSA research center that runs cybersecurity competitions (NCCDC, CyberPatriot), develops the CCSMM maturity framework, and delivers training and information-sharing services to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, educational institutions, and communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Education and Training Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity Training & Awareness Programs (BPAEANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing) (EDABAFAF), Cybersecurity Learning Platforms (EDAFANAF), Cybersecurity (Digital Safety, Ethical Hacking Basics) (EDAMACAH), Cybersecurity (EDAAAPAC), Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Safety Training for Security Personnel (BPAKAOAO)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity training services
• Community cybersecurity preparedness
• Cybersecurity competitions
• K-12 cybersecurity education
• Information sharing analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, NSA, and other federal agencies. Initial $5 million grant from DoD through Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2001. Additional grants include $1.2 million CISA grant, $1.67 million NSA grant, and DHS grants for NCPC courses.
2. Philanthropic Grants: Funding from foundations including Craig Newmark Philanthropies ($100,000 for C4 clinic), Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund ($500,000), and Gula Tech Foundation.
3. Product Sales: Revenue from selling card games (Cyber Threat Defender, Cyber Threat Protector, Cyber Threat Guardian), booster packs, tournament hosting kits, and educational materials through the online store.
4. CIAS-ISAO Memberships: Three membership levels including a free tier, with paid tiers providing consultation hours and access to cybersecurity resources, guidance on vulnerability assessments, and customized benchmarks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) delivers cybersecurity competitions, professional training, K-12 educational programs, and information sharing services to advance state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) community cybersecurity capabilities. Core offerings include the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), CyberPatriot, Panoply and Hivestorm competitions; the Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM) framework; NCPC no-cost training courses; and the CIAS-ISAO and Texas ISAO information sharing organizations.

Product overview

The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) operates as a research center at UT San Antonio offering a multi-faceted cybersecurity education and preparedness portfolio. The organization provides cybersecurity competitions (NCCDC, CyberPatriot, Panoply, Hivestorm), educational card games (Cyber Threat Defender, Cyber Threat Protector, Cyber Threat Guardian), K-12 cybersecurity programs including the CyBear mascots and computer games, professional training and microtrainings, the Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM) framework, information sharing organizations (CIAS-ISAO, Texas ISAO), and the C4 Community Cybersecurity Clinic. These programs work together to advance community and organizational cybersecurity capabilities from K-12 students through professional workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC): Collegiate cyber defense competition where teams defend real-world networks. The premier national championship for college students in cybersecurity defense.
• CyberPatriot
• Cyber Threat Defender (CTD)
• Panoply
• Hivestorm
• Community Cybersecurity Clinic (C4)
• Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM)
• National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)
• CIAS-ISAO
• Texas ISAO
• CyBear

Products and services

• Cyber Threat Defender (CTD) Card Game A collectible card game that teaches cybersecurity principles to players ages 11+ through strategic gameplay involving network defense, attack mitigation, and security policies. Available in physical and digital formats, played worldwide, with booster packs themed around industry partners such as MITRE ATT&CK.
• Cyber Threat Protector (CTP) Card Game Elementary-focused card game that introduces younger students to cybersecurity concepts through gameplay, teaching cyber hygiene and safety.
• Cyber Threat Guardian (CTG) Card Game Card game designed for younger audiences to teach cybersecurity awareness and prevention through interactive gameplay.
• National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC) The nation's largest collegiate cyber defense competition where teams of 8 defend real-world networks against live Red Team hackers, testing operational competency in protecting corporate network infrastructure. Annual event with regional qualifiers and national championship.
• CyberPatriot World's largest cyber defense competition co-founded with the Air Force Association to inspire middle and high school students toward STEM careers in cybersecurity.
• Panoply Competition Individual or team network assessment and network defense competition where competitors vie for control of resources.
• Hivestorm Competition Collegiate cyber defense competition where teams compete by securing provided virtual machines.
• Community Cyber Security Maturity Model (CCSMM) A coordinated 3-dimensional framework providing communities with a yardstick to measure cybersecurity program status, a roadmap for improvement, and a common reference point. Features five maturity levels (Initial, Established, Self-Assessed, Integrated, Vanguard) and integrates with NIST CSF and DoD CMMC.
• Professional Cybersecurity Training Low- and no-cost professional training solutions through certification prep courses and cybersecurity awareness training for improving technical capabilities and continuity plans. Includes FEMA Continuing Training Grant courses AWR-366W, AWR-381W, and MGT-473.
• Microtrainings Short, impactful cybersecurity learning modules including SkillBytes, KnowledgeBytes, and LeaderBytes designed to fit any schedule while building real workforce readiness.
• National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) Training Research-based cybersecurity courses developed by a collaboration of five universities, available at no cost, helping individuals in states and communities nationwide develop and improve their cybersecurity programs.
• Customized Training & Exercises Customized training, workshops, and community-wide exercises tailored to suit individual organization needs for cybersecurity preparedness.
• CIAS-ISAO Membership Three-tiered Information Sharing and Analysis Organization helping states, local jurisdictions, tribes and territories establish comprehensive cybersecurity programs using the CCSMM framework, providing membership-based consultation hours, webinars, newsletters, and expert guidance.
• Texas ISAO (TxISAO) State-level ISAO providing a forum for state agencies, local governments, and private sector to share information regarding cybersecurity threats, best practices, and remediation strategies.
• C4 Community Cybersecurity Clinic Program providing low- and no-cost cybersecurity services to organizations including training, reputation and information leak searches, vulnerability assessments, policy development, and incident response plan evaluations, while developing student workforce skills at UTSA.
• High Value Asset (HVA) Identification Method Method developed for state, local, tribal and territorial governments to determine their High Value Assets to better focus cybersecurity efforts. Includes scalable guidelines, templates and tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained next generation of cybersecurity professionals through competitions with over 1,500-2,100 student competitors annually from 170-200+ schools
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NightwingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting sponsor for the 20th NCCDC, providing over 20 volunteers participating as employees, customers, and hackers in the competition. Will host winning team for Washington D.C. tour.
• Raytheon Technologies (now RTX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Presenting sponsor of NCCDC competitions, providing employee volunteers as judges, customers, customers, and executive leadership in competition scenarios. Multiple years of partnership for national championships.
• Air Force AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded CyberPatriot program with the Air Force Association as lead partner. CIAS provides technology component for the world's largest cybersecurity competition serving tens of thousands of students.
• National Security Agency (NSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner$1.67 million grant for communities to become more cyber secure nationwide. CIAS holds three NSA Centers of Academic Excellence designations.
• Angelo State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cybersecurity pilot program in San Angelo, Texas, part of efforts to expand community cybersecurity programs.
• ISAO Standards OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIAS leads the ISAO Standards Organization since 2015, identifying standards and guidelines for robust and effective information sharing related to cybersecurity risks.
• CIAS-ISAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInformation sharing arm of CIAS helping SLTTs and communities establish comprehensive cybersecurity programs using CCSMM framework.
• Texas ISAO (TxISAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIAS is a founding partner of Texas ISAO, responsible for education and awareness to promote preparation for, protection from and prevention of cyber threats.
• National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration of five universities developing research-based cybersecurity courses to help individuals develop and improve their cybersecurity programs nationwide.
• MITRE CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMITRE ATT&CK booster pack for Cyber Threat Defender game featuring globally-accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MITRE Corporation: MITRE develops the ATT&CK framework (which CIAS featured in a CTD booster pack), operates federally funded research centers, and produces widely-adopted cybersecurity methodologies. Both serve as federally funded, framework-producing R&D centers that translate research into practitioner tools, though MITRE is far larger and broader.
• ISACA: ISACA provides CISA, CISM, CRISC, and other cybersecurity/governance certifications plus the SheLeadsTech and Cybersecurity Nexus programs. Comparable to CIAS on professional certification training and SLTT-focused audit/risk education.
• (ISC)²: (ISC)² administers the CISSP and other leading cybersecurity certifications, plus the Center for Cyber Safety and Education (formerly (ISC)² Foundation) which delivers Safe and Secure Online education to schools. It overlaps CIAS on certification prep training and K-12 awareness, but at much larger global scale.
• CYBER.ORG (formerly NICCS / National Cyberwatch Center K-12 program): CYBER.ORG is the national leader in K-12 cybersecurity education, providing curricula, teacher training, and CyberStart—a direct competitor to CIAS's CyBear mascots, CTD/CTG/CTP card games, and K-12 instructor resources. Both organizations receive federal funding to scale cybersecurity awareness into classrooms.
• Center for Internet Security (CIS): CIS develops the CIS Critical Security Controls and operates the MS-ISAC for SLTT governments—closely paralleling CIAS's CCSMM framework and CIAS-ISAO. Both target state, local, tribal, and territorial governments with maturity assessments, threat intelligence, and best-practice frameworks.
• Global Cyber Alliance (GCA): GCA is a nonprofit focused on reducing cyber risk through practical tools (DMARC, IoT, small business kits), paralleling CIAS's community/clinic mission to uplift under-resourced organizations. Both are grant-funded and target SLTT/small-organization cyber uplift.
• National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA): NCA runs the Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign and Stay Safe Online public-awareness programs—directly comparable to CIAS's CyBear mascot and community awareness initiatives. Both target broad public cybersecurity culture change rather than technical training.
• National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA): NCFTA is a nonprofit partnership between government, academia, and industry for cyber threat intelligence sharing and training. Comparable to CIAS's ISAO information-sharing model and partnership-driven training, though NCFTA focuses more on law enforcement/financial fraud intelligence.

Broad incumbents

• SANS Institute: SANS is the dominant commercial cybersecurity training provider, offering technical courses, GIAC certifications, and NetWars competitions. It overlaps CIAS most directly on professional training, certification prep, and cyber competitions—but operates at much larger commercial scale and serves a broader enterprise audience.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL): PNNL is a Department of Energy national laboratory conducting federally funded cybersecurity research, training, and tool development for critical infrastructure. Comparable to CIAS as a federally funded research center serving national security missions, but at far larger scale with broader infrastructure focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ciascybersec
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqjmtZNdv1LyUc2v_DNTr6w
• Facebookfacebook.com/cias.utsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security