The ISAOs are a key part of President Barack Obama's cybersecurity strategy, which seeks to improve the sharing of threat information between the government and private industry.
University researchers will lead a team that includes the Logistics Management Institute and the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center. They will work with current information sharing centers, federal agencies, private industry and other stakeholders to develop a set of guidelines for voluntary participation in the ISAO network, according to Andy Ozment, DHS assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications.
"ISAOs will contribute greatly to our national efforts to expand the breadth and speed of cybersecurity information sharing, which in turn is key to our shared effort to reduce the prevalence and impact of cybersecurity incidents," Ozment said in a blog post announcing the award. "Through a public, open-ended engagement with business communities, civil society groups and other stakeholders, the University of Texas at San Antonio will develop transparent best practices that align with the needs of all industry groups."
The award provides for $2 million a year in grants for up to five years.
"This is an incredible win for UTSA," said Greg White, director of the UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security. "This is the single organization in the nation that will be creating the national standards for sharing and analyzing information in cybersecurity as directed by the White House."
Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.
