Cyber-attacks occur more frequently and have become increasingly sophisticated. Cybersecurity events now have the potential to significantly disrupt the business operations of government and critical infrastructure services. Public and private sectors, in the United States, are at increasing and continual risk of surprise attacks from nation-state and non-state actors. (Burgess, 2018)
The growing Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) ecosystem provides an opportunity to empower the nation to become more educated and effective in preventing, detecting, and responding to the increasingly sophisticated landscape of cyber threats. There are considerable challenges with the vast quantity of information, the complexities of analysis, and the uncertainties of sharing data with a large network of organizations.
In the 2016 National Preparedness Report, 88% of states and territories indicated a high prioritization of cybersecurity, with only a 13% proficiency in that capability. Likewise, 86% of states and territories ranked intelligence and information sharing as a high priority, with a reported 57% proficiency in that capability. The establishment of an ISAO is a critical step to improve both of these capabilities.
Executive Order 13691 encourages the formation of ISAOs, and states that “organizations engaged in the sharing of information related to cybersecurity risks and incidents play an invaluable role in the collective cybersecurity of the United States”. At the end of this course, participants should possess the fundamentals needed to design and develop an Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) for states, locals, tribes, and/or territories (SLTTs). It addresses what the ISAO is, how it is used, who should participate in the design, implementation, building, and execution.
This course was developed by the University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security through the DHS/FEMA Homeland Security National Training Program
Full course information and schedule
Contact Information
Knowledge Engineering
Phone: (979) 458-6710
Email: ke@teex.tamu.edu