Center for Integrated SEcurity, PRivacy, and Trustworthy AI (CIERTA) serves as the technical hub for cybersecurity-related research, innovation, and education at Florida International University (FIU).

Cyberspace, a ubiquitous collection of interconnected networks and computing systems that has increased over the last two decades, has become the country’s nervous system. The healthy functioning of Cyberspace is essential for properly operating numerous critical infrastructures, such as telecommunication, energy, and transportation. It is also necessary to support the ever-expanding business infrastructure, including commerce and banking. The increasing reliance on Cyberspace has been paralleled by a corresponding increase in the variety, frequency, and impact of attacks from a range of assailants. Both commercial companies and government agencies face continuous and increasingly more sophisticated cyber-attacks ranging from data exfiltration and spear phishing to sophisticated worms and logic bombs. The targets include computer information systems, network communication infrastructure, and power grids. Moreover, commercial companies and government agencies are themselves engaging in information gathering whose implications for privacy are disturbing.

Therefore, there is an increasing need for a concerted and cooperative effort to address these attacks and threats through a collective effort initiated by academia and involving the government, industry, and local communities. Research, innovation, and education are the main ways to help detect, react, and reduce the impact of cyber threats and attacks. In addition, this needs to include different disciplines as cybersecurity is a horizontal pillar that spans almost all domains.

Miami’s status as a gateway for international commerce, tourism, and immigration, especially with Latin America, makes it a particularly appropriate location for a cybersecurity research, innovation, and education consortium.  This offers great opportunities to collaborate with multiple units at FIU, engage with the local stakeholders and communities, and make FIU a cybersecurity tech hub and solution center in South Florida. CIERTA serves this need and fills the gap to serve FIU and local communities in technical areas of cybersecurity. CIERTA provides technical support to FIU and its affiliates in cybersecurity research, serves as a portal for our current degree programs in cybersecurity

For more information about CIERTA’s mission/vision and management, please visit the following sites:

• Mission/Vision
• Administrators
• Contact