The University of Texas at San Antonio this week marked the launch of the newly established Texas Cyber Command (TXCC), the most ambitious state-based cybersecurity agency in America, with a reception including federal and state executives, political leaders, university and business partners.
UT San Antonio serves as the permanent home of the new state agency, headquartered alongside the university’s National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC).
Under the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Cyber Command Chief Timothy James “TJ” White, the Command serves as the center of gravity for cybersecurity in Texas, building on existing state cybersecurity response assets.
Signed into law in June, Texas House Bill 150, which created the Texas Cyber Command, was sponsored by State Sen. Tan Parker (R-Dallas) and State Reps. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Dallas), Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) and Elizabeth Campos (D-San Antonio). “The Texas Cyber Command is the first new state agency from whole cloth in the 21st century. Moreover, it is the first agency outside of the capital city ever — that is a big deal,” remarked Daniel Mittnacht, Budget and Policy Advisor for Gov. Abbott.
The NSCC will play a key role as the Command’s trusted mission partner in securing the state’s infrastructure against cyber threats. It will serve as the university’s lead in supporting the Command, working broadly to contribute subject matter expertise, provide access to specialized facilities and drive innovation in the development of cutting-edge tools.
TXCC will establish new intelligence capabilities and digital forensics tools and bolster statewide cybersecurity training and operational preparedness. It is designed to protect, defend, prevent and secure against domestic and international adversaries with six key focus areas:
- Assessing cyber threats and vulnerabilities across covered agencies
- Bolstering state cyber detection and responses for state law enforcement
- Strengthening digital defenses
- Establishing best practices for cybersecurity
- Providing cyber awareness and training
- Mitigating cyber attacks
“I am grateful for Governor Abbott’s vision to establish a first-in-the-nation state-based cyber command in partnership with our federal partners here in our cybersecurity ecosystem in San Antonio. UT San Antonio stands ready to contribute subject matter expertise and state-of-the-art facilities to help build a robust cyber defense infrastructure for our state of Texas,” said UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy.
San Antonio, home to one of the largest concentrations of cybersecurity professionals outside of the nation’s capital, will play a critical role in advancing the mission of the Texas Cyber Command. It is uniquely positioned to support the development of a robust statewide cybersecurity infrastructure.
“San Antonio is the ecosystem that will be the cornerstone of success for this Command this decade, next decade and for the century,” said White, a retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral.
“It’s going to take partnerships, collaboration, speed, agility, scale and mass to overcome these challenges,” White said. “We cannot do it alone — we have to do it with results we can measure and that instills confidence in the residents of the state.”
Partnering broadly through a federation of federal and state agencies, academic institutions and commercial companies, the Command aims to solve the disruptive cybersecurity challenges that threaten both critical operations and the state’s economy.
Among the federal and state partners are the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, the National Security Agency, Texas Department of Information Resources, Texas Military Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
“I am thankful for the team at UT San Antonio that has demonstrated the level of enthusiasm, eagerness and the high standards that have transformed Governor Abbott’s vision into a reality,” said UT System Chancellor John Zerwas, MD.
