Center for Information Assurance and Security

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Center for Information Assurance and Security (CIAS), located at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, combines some of the most advanced expertise in the nation to address the broad spectrum of issues involved in the expansion and protection of information and communications infrastructure systems. The CIAS recognizes ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability for business, government, and commercial information systems is imperative to the nation's progress and security.

Presidential Decision Directive 63, issued in 1998, identified the security and assurance of our nation's information and communications infrastructure as a national priority. Following the unanticipated attacks on our nation on September 11, 2001, this directive and all national security efforts have taken on new meaning. The importance of information assurance and security to society has increased dramatically; the production of trained and educated professionals in this area is paramount.

Information Assurance and Security refers to policies, procedures, methods, and techniques that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation.

To address information assurance and security needs, the CIAS

Provides an organized research and educational structure for facilitating scholastic interactions of faculty and students;
Serves as a well-structured interdisciplinary unit that competes for federal and state support and offers leveraging opportunities beyond an individual departments' capabilities;
Provides a means for the efficient transfer of technical advances to a large community and to industry;
Develops advanced educational program options, enhances existing programs, and offers their expansion through distance education courses and programs;
Offers an IAS lab for education and research.

Research, teaching and outreach strengths are traditions at Texas A&M. Through our land-grant mission and the Engineering and Agriculture network in the State, the Center for Information Assurance and Security at Texas A&M offers great advantages in dissemination and training in Texas and the nation.