Cyber, The Defining Character of the Age

SAN ANTONIO, AMERICA'S #1 FIRST RESPONDER & CYBER CITY

“It has become common in the last decade to pick up a paper or listen to a news broadcast and learn about a new “hack” of a computer system or network resulting in theft or the loss of personal information for large numbers of individuals. It is so common that many see it as a fait accompli that their own information will be lost and misused at some point – indeed; many have already experienced this fate. It is not just financial and personal information that is at risk, however, as the number of attacks impacting local and state governments are also increasing. From fire and police departments to public utilities, industry and city government functions, communities today cannot function without the cyber infrastructure and physical infrastructure monitored and controlled by network and information technology—from water services –to-electrical power-to-telecom.”

(Dr. Greg White, UTSA CIAS, NSF Grant Proposal, Cyber First, October 16, 2011)

News headlines are littered with stories about hackers. December 26, 2011, CNN reported the hacker group "Anonymous" attack on Stratfor Global Intelligence, an Austin, Texas-based security think tank. ars technica updated its report on Dec. 21, 2011 about how hackers skimmed the till at Subway sandwich shops in the U.S. for $3 million at the point-of-sale. Malicious cyber-attacks are an everyday occurrence in the 21st century city, enterprise and even the public and private lives of Americans (READ CYBER SPUTNIK).

• Computer hackers have sent two of the world’s biggest credit card companies into meltdown in revenge for cutting off payments to the WikiLeaks website….The attack was launched by a shadowy international group called “Anonymous” which said MasterCard and Visa had been targeted for freezing the account of the whistle blowing site.…Hackers also targeted online payment systems PayPal, Amazon, and a Swiss bank over the WikiLeaks row… The Swedish government's website was also brought down this morning after a fresh wave of cyber-attacks. (Operation: Payback', Colin Fernandez and Laura Caroe, December 9, 2010.)
• Iran reportedly guided the CIA's "lost" stealth drone to an intact landing inside hostile territory by exploiting GPS navigational weakness long-known to the US military, according to an Iranian engineer now working on the captured drone's systems inside Iran. (Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 16, 2011)
• Our cars are even at risk to these attacks when we drive according to recent research. On March 11, 2011, the New York Times reported that researchers at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Washington were able to hack a car remotely and take over control of critical systems via the Internet. Because many of today’s cars contain cellular connections and Bluetooth wireless technology, it is possible for a hacker, working from a remote location, to hijack various features—like the car locks and brakes—as well as to track the vehicle’s location, eavesdrop on its cabin, and steal vehicle data.
• Even our toys are at risk of causing us personal financial harm as well as other possible exploitations of physical, psychological and financial aspects of privacy. On April 27, 2011, Sony entered the seventh day outage of its PlayStation Network (PSN) due to a security breach of users' personal information that may have exposed the credit card details of up to 77 million customers illustrating that “cyber threat” is very, very real in terms of disrupting commerce and even play for children and adults in cyberspace (Mathew J. Schwartz, “Sony Sued Over PlayStation Network Hack,” Information Week, April 27, 2011).

These attacks represent the rise of a new kind of cyber gorilla warfare: “asymmetric warfare.” Cyber is asymmetric because it enables a smaller, less capital-intensive force to use tactics and strategies to offset and negate nation-states with greater technological superiority and capital resources. The strategy of technology has come to favor networks capable of morphing and swarming like bees: delivering sustained pulse from virtually all directions at once. In this cases thousands of computers are being aggregated across the Internet to deliver Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) sttacks with the force of the world's most powerful supercomputers linked one-by-one across a virtual Internet backplane. In addition to DDOS attacks, there are other tactical and strategic network exploitations.

Just prior to Christmas 2011, Identity theft crimes in mass seemed to be flooding the air waves and cable modems. At the same time a push and pull has begun in US education related to the role of the computers and computer science in the classroom. Touted as the 4th "R" for pRogramming, information technology is now emerging as a required and foundational skill across jobs, educational disciplines and civil life. “Computational thinking” is the new rage and the AP courses and exams are being prepared for higher academic rigor and a more systemic focus on cyber in the core curricula.

According to the report Designing Our Digital Future, increasing the number of graduates in fields related to cyber (network and information technology) at all degree levels must be a national priority. Network and Information Technology (NIT) accounts for approximately 52% of all STEM occupations. Only 6.4% percent of jobs in the U.S. are typically categorized as STEM by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report, Designing Our Digital Future, states:

All indicators—all historical data, and all projections—argue that NIT is the dominant factor in America’s science and technology employment, and that the gap between the demand for NIT talent and the supply of that talent is and will remain large. Cyberspace is the platform upon which U.S. and global wealth creation has been built since the Apollo program—spanning engineering, life science, physical science, and social science occupations as well as copyright arts industries and business in general. According to the report’s 2009 projections, NIT employment will result in 762,700 jobs, growing more than twice as fast as the average for all occupations in the economy.

Six of the eight jobs with the highest number of annual job openings in Texas are for computer information systems technicians. In the Alamo workforce development area, the top six jobs are all in computer information fields. In order to meet the workforce need, the Workforce Solution Alamo has a goal of doubling graduation rates at every level for computer information careers. Today, 64% of San Antonio’s higher education students are Hispanic, and the majority is low-to-moderate income creating a great opportunity for STEM and related initiatives to engage adult training, workforce education and pipeline initiatives into early education.

In the Alamo region, NIT professionals averaged $56K in 2008 -- 45% more than the average of $38K for all workers. Since 2005, San Antonio’s IT and security sector (CYBER–STEM) is growing at approximately 17% annually. The estimated 2010 economic impact is $10B--$1 Billion of which comes from the annual budget of Air Force Cyber Comand 24A (Greater Chamber IT Committee estimations). San Antonio’s CIRC, CyberCity USA and the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) have emerged as centers for cyber first response including planning, practicum, certification, building educational pipeline capacity, R&D and multi-sector collaboration. The team is working on support systems and linkages for cyber entrepreneurs as well.

Cyber security practitioners require a mix of skills some have characterized as “technical poet”—emphasizing the need for integrating STEM, humanities education, and arts practice. Cyber is the one common denominator of 21st century skills across disciplines and fields of work and even civil participation. According to the National Academy of Science authors reporting through the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST):

Today, K-12 education largely ignores computer science. Fluency with NIT skills, concepts, and capabilities; facility in computational thinking; and an understanding of the basic concepts of computer science must be an essential part of K-12 STEM education.

(Designing Our Digital Future)

To learn more about cyber in education, see The 2011 State of K-12 Cyberethics, Cybersafety, Cybersecurity, and Curriculum in the United States. The Alamo area initiatives of the Cyber Innovation and Research Consortium (CIRC), the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the city are best described as Cyber-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

ORGANIZING CYBER IN THE ALAMO CITY

On September 11, 2001, Alamo regional leaders across sectors convened and established what is today Cyber City USA and a network of initiatives including Dark Screen, Pale Horse and Alamo Alert flowing from lessons learned from After Action Review (AAR) of the New York emergency operations, communications and health homeland security experience. Today, San Antonio is at the heart of the nation's first response for emergency operations, medical and cyber operations in the event of a catastrophe and cyber is now the lynch-pin across sectors.

Cyber: The e-Sputnik Reality

AT&T, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Rackspace Hosting, Peer 1, Server Beach, HEB, Caterpillar, Toyota, Microsoft and many others now call the Alamo City home to their cloud computing data centers and network exchanges. The city has the second highest data center density in the U.S. and also the second highest number of Certified Information Systems Security Professionals for government-related network and information technology security (cyber). In 2002, a new group of security companies emerged on the local scene including Diligent Consulting, Denim Group, Digital Defense, Secure Info and others adding to the defense industrial base in the city.

The Cyber Innovation and Research Consortium (CIRC) and related actors catalyze cyber security and information technology education, workforce and economic development initiatives in the city. Education leaders include include Dr. Greg White (UTSA CIAS), Dr. Glen Dietrich (UTSA), Dr. Carolyn Green (Texas A&M San Antonio), Dr. Federico Zaragoza (Alamo Colleges), Professor Andrew Smith (San Antonio College), Professor Haydar Sayhin (St Philips College), Professor Philip Youngblood (University of the Incarnate Word), Dr. Doug Hall (St. Mary’s University), Andrew Schuetze (Northwest Vista College) and dozens of other volunteers.

To promote industry growth and in order to foster cyber human capital, the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Cyber City USA initiative is focused on four key areas:

Community -Creating a cyber-aware public that practices cyber security and supports the growth of San Antonio’s cyber capabilities.

Education - Developing the necessary collaborative environment to insure San Antonio education entities have the essential academic courses and programs to grow a talented cyber workforce.

Government - Enhancing the ability of government and the military to provide for America’s cyber security.

Business - Establishing an environment conducive to the growth of cyber businesses and the development of advanced cyber capabilities.

(Cyber City USA)

San Antonio has a large military base and military resources, in addition to an engaged and supportive academic, municipal, and business infrastructure. The city has excellent intergovernmental local, state, and federal relationships, a strong defense contractor base. The city’s Information Technology and Security Academy, Cyber Patriot (Alamo), National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, Panopoly, Texas Institute for Educational Robotics and Space Teams deliver cyber-related studies from 1st grade to Ph.D. through an aggregation of formal and informal education programs. Rather than building a track to one career, San Antonio initiatives has sought to raise the bar in computing, information technology, cyber security and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) systematically.

Situated within Texas, the number 2 in high technology jobs, payroll, number of companies and value of exports, San Antonio's cyber initiative emerges at a time when computers and networks are mainstream. Texas' IT sector includes the TELECOM Corridor in Dallas Fort Worth with companies such as ATT, Nortel, Alcatel, EDS and CISCO. In Austin AMD, IBM, Motorola, Dell and gaming and media companies such as bioware and Electronic Arts pepper the hills. In Houston HP, NASA, Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, CenterPoint Energy, Nation Wide Insurance and AETNA are spread over the metroplex.

All of these companies depend on cyber for critical infrastructure process control in energy and manufacturing, electronic transactions insuring privacy and trust in our financial services and the vital firewalls across all industry sectors protecting the flow of our trade secrets whizzing around the Internet at the speed of light. Recent news in San Antonio includes Dr. Ravi Sandhu of the Institute for Cyber Security at he University of Texas San Antonio, Rackspace Chairman Graham Weston and the cyber security team formed at the State level to study education, workforce and economic development. The author was interviewed for the Austin American Statesman article.

“The National Science Foundation awarded UTSA$3 million grant for some in-depth cyber security research. It's sort of like gathering data about the data, or rather, where the data comes from. And, where your data comes from matters.” UTSA Receives $3 Million For Cyber Security Research Package. Texas Public Radio News, Eileen Pace, December 12, 2011.

"Rackspace Hosting Inc. co-founder Graham Weston has turned the 11th floor of his downtown office building into a collaborative workspace for information technology professionals. Geekdom, as it is called, is designed to be a place where entrepreneurs, technologists, software developers and other assorted techno-geeks can come together in a mutually reinforcing environment to build businesses and collaborate on various projects.” Rackspace founder programs tech hub Geekdom for innovation. San Antonio Business Journal by Mike W. Thomas, Reporter Date: Friday, December 9, 2011, 5:00am CST.

“Although Austin brings its large technology base and flagship university to the cyber security mix, it is a relatively new kid on the block compared with San Antonio. That city traces its cyber roots to 1948 and military intelligence operations at Lackland Air Force Base.” Central Texas bids to make itself commercial hub of cyber security industry. AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF, Laylan Copelin, Published: 3:14 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011.

Today, the Cyber City USA and Cyber Innovation and Research Consortium (CIRC) represent a formal institutional network linking academic institutions with government, industry, workforce, and economic development--a technopolis strategy. CIRC connects private and public stakeholders focused on research, development and commercialization (diffusion of innovation) in critical areas of national importance to cyber and STEM across industries, institutions, and P-20 education.

CIRC activities are linked to industry through the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Information technology Committee, including members from all sectors in the Alamo region dedicated to information technology and cyber security. CIRC members include the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and their Institute for Cyber Security (ICS) and Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS), Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) and their Center for Information Assurance Management and Leadership (CIAML), St. Mary's University School of Lax Center for Terrorism, Texas A&M-San Antonio and their Center for Information Technology and Cyber Security, Trinity University and all five Alamo Colleges.  Texas State University is in the process of joining the consortium this year.

Since the 80's a few key cyber innovations in the Alamo city include: Intersil's design for the first Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) of Wi-Fi, or wi-fion a chip; the Wheel Group's Network Intrusion Detection System selling to CISCO for approximately $120MM worth of stock before breaking a million in sales; NewTek moved to San Antonio and released the TriCorder and continues to pioneer special effects and digital editing across media markets; Globalscape's line of Cute, software brands such as Cute FTP are global brand name; CoreTrace spun off from the Wheel group and offers a new breed of virus protection for consumer, enterprise and critical infrastructure markets; Novus Security's cyber physical security devices for distributed infrastructure sold to a venture group in Austin for ~$30MM; and SecureLogix released the first telecommunications phone-system firewall.

The city's hopes and aspirations for high technology wealth creation in the IT sector are now pinned principally on the sky-rocketing Rackspace Hosting and its cloud computing initiative.

What is cloud computing? by Rackspace Hosting

Rackspace is recognized as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s 100 Best companies to work for in the US, ranking number 43 on the list. Rackspace's portfolio of hosted IT services includes Managed Hosting, Cloud Hosting, and email and "apps." (Rackspace Hosting) The company is fanatical about support and has transformed the overly exuberant dot com culture into a culture that serves customers, employees and the San Antonio community alike.

Rackspace Culture of Innovation