Cyber technology has become pervasive and indispensable. Humans interact with cyber systems to conduct many of the tasks of their day-to-day lives. As cyber technology advances and the Internet of Everything becomes reality, it is critical that these systems are secure and that they operate for the benefit of humankind. The size, complexity and interconnectedness of these systems and their integration into the very fabric of our lives requires a holistic, sociotechnical approach to: a) understand the impact of these systems on society, especially how they affect human values such as privacy, freedom, democracy, individual autonomy, b) understand the risks and consequences of attacks on these systems and strategies to respond to attacks, and c) ensure that these systems operate as intended (secure and dependable) and the data they collect and process is secure from improper use.

What is needed is an ‘anticipatory’ approach; that is, an approach that considers these questions while cyber technology is still being developed and not after it has become deeply embedded, and we are compelled to learn only from failures and only when negative social consequences become apparent.

The mission of the Cyber Innovation and Society Initiative (CISI) is to carry out multidisciplinary research and education initiatives that focus on the complex technical, social and policy challenges posed by emerging cyber innovations to ensure that cyber technology benefits all of society equally, fairly and dependably.

Center of Academic Excellence (CAE)

The Cyber Innovation and Society Initiative supports the University of Virginia's Department of Computer Science's programs in cybersecurity, including the two Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designations held by the UVA's Department of Computer Science.  The Department of Computer Science holds a CAE Cyber Defense designation (CAE-CD) and an CAE Research designation (NCAE-R).