Texas Cybersecurity Council

Purpose and Objectives 

Purpose 

The Texas Cybersecurity Council was created by DIR to develop enduring partnerships between private industry and public sector organizations to ensure that critical infrastructure and sensitive information are protected, to develop a cybersecurity workforce to protect technology resources from increasing threats, and develop strategies and solutions that ensure that Texas continues to lead in areas of cybersecurity. 

Objectives 

The objectives of the Texas Cybersecurity Council are in accordance with Texas Government Code and include: 

• ​Establishing the criteria and priorities for addressing cybersecurity threats to critical state installations. 

• Consolidating and synthesizing best practices to assist state agencies in understanding and implementing cybersecurity measures that are most beneficial to the state. 

• Assessing the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of the existing information technology and cybersecurity workforce to mitigate and respond to cyber threats and develop recommendations for addressing immediate workforce deficiencies and a long-term pool of qualified applicants. 

• Providing recommendations to the legislature on any legislation necessary to implement cybersecurity best practices and remediation strategies for the state. 

Authority and Membership Structure 

Authority 

In 2012, the Texas Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council released the "Building a More Secure Prosperous Texas" report, focusing on increasing the development and impact of the cybersecurity industry within the state. In 2013, the 83rd Legislature amended Chapter 2054 of the Texas Government Code, expressly creating the Cybersecurity Coordinator and granting the Cybersecurity Coordinator the authority to create the Texas Cybersecurity Council.  The enabling statutes, as amended by the Legislature, are codified in Section 2054 of Texas Government Code. 

Membership Structure 

The Council membership is composed of participation tiers that limit the leadership and decision-making authority to a select and specific group defined as Council Members, and a broad non-voting group defined as Council Guests. 

For more information on the membership structure, please see the Council Charter documentation. 

Reference Materials

Council Charter  –​ PDF (288 KB) 

Authorizing Legislation

Senate Bill 1102

TCEEDC 2012 Report, "Building a More Secure and Prosperous Texas"​ –​ PDF (1,716 KB)

Supporting Programs

The Texas Cybersecurity Council relies on new and established programs to support the goal of developing a cybersecurity workforce.

CyberPatriot

CyberPatriot, a youth cyber education program, was developed by the Air Force Association (AFA) to educate children and young adults about cyber and prepare them for careers in cybersecurity and similar fields. This program offers highly competitive national competitions, camps and elementary school programs educating students about online hygiene and preparing them for the future of cyber.