City of San Antonio Plans to Open First Security Operations Center

City of San Antonio Plans to Open First Security Operations Center

The city expects to share the new center with CPS Energy, San Antonio Water System and VIA Metropolitan Transit, according to the San Antonio Business Journal. For security purposes, the organizations’ data streams would be kept separate.

The city of San Antonio plans to open its first security operations center in the coming year. The new center would help monitor the city’s vast computer infrastructure 24/7.

The city expects to share the new center with CPS Energy, San Antonio Water System and VIA Metropolitan Transit, according to the San Antonio Business Journal. For security purposes, the organizations’ data streams would be kept separate.

Local leaders are looking for a secure place to house the operations center.

“We’re still in the beginning stages considering a physical location, what types of capabilities we would like to have that we’d have to maintain,” said Patsy Boozer, chief information security officer at the city of San Antonio. “It’s more cost effective for us to have a shared concept.”

A security operations center, or SOC, is an office where agents monitor traffic in and out of a computer network around the clock, in real time. The agencies also plan to collaborate on an information sharing and analysis organization, in which they would share threat intelligence data with the goal of reducing the prevalence of malware.

The city of San Antonio has more than 12,000 employees, which means it needs to secure tens of thousands of internet-connected devices. CPS Energy’s grid infrastructure supports a power system across the county as the only local electricity provider, and San Antonio Water System plans to implement smart meters in the future, which will likely also be internet-connected.

The new center will likely leverage software with artificial intelligence that might be able to identify network traffic anomalies more quickly and alert agencies to potential problems.

According to Boozer, while all of these municipal agencies employ people to deflect outside attacks to computer infrastructure, bad actors trying to access infrastructure most commonly try to access computer systems via phishing emails.

“A lot of what we see come through are phishing attempts, but our employees have been well-trained,” Boozer said. "We even have a phishing notification system through our [Microsoft] Outlook to report it."

 

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Report Reveals Security Training Reduces Global Phishing Click Rates by 86%

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its “Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report 2025” which measures an organization’s Phish-prone Percentage (PPP) — the percentage of employees likely to fall for social engineering or phishing attacks, indicating the organization’s overall susceptibility to phishing threats. This year’s report found a global average baseline PPP of 33.1%, meaning a third of employees interact with phishing simulations before taking part in best-practice security awareness training (SAT).COVER 2025-PIB-NA-Report_EN-US Read Now

  • TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement Today

    Today, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the imminent implementation of its REAL ID enforcement measures at TSA checkpoints nationwide. Read Now

  • Body-Worn Cameras on the Rise

    On the evening of Oct. 29, 2024, the owner of 300 Guard based in Houston, was shot while on duty at a convenience store. He returned fire. He was wearing a plated vest and thankfully recovered in the hospital. Read Now

  • Brazil Port Enhances Surveillance and Supports Wildlife Conservation with Sustainable Technology

    Ferroport, which operates the iron ore terminal at the Port of Açu in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has deployed state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras from Axis Communications to enhance nighttime security and visibility, while decreasing environmental impact and prioritizing sustainability. With cutting-edge technology, the port now has precise surveillance cameras that capture high-quality nighttime images, while reducing the amount of artificial lighting that negatively impacts the surrounding ecosystem. Read Now

  • Fast-Forward from 1,000 B.C.E. to Today

    The lock and key have been around since time immemorial. In fact, the locksmith profession is one of the oldest in the world when you consider the earliest wooden tumbler lock debuted three-plus millennia ago. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.