Cyber threats are growing everyday.
A new kind of warfare just landed in Texas.
And Greg Abbott announced one decision that left China’s hackers scrambling.
Abbott signs bill creating Texas Cyber Command
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a groundbreaking bill on Monday that officially creates the Texas Cyber Command at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
This wasn’t just another routine bill signing.
Abbott made cybersecurity one of his top priorities for the legislative session, listing it as an emergency item in his 2025 State of the State address.
"The lack of investment in cyber protection" has led to an increase in the number of cyber attacks affecting Texas, but "that changes today," Abbott said at the signing ceremony.
The ceremony took place at UTSA’s National Security Collaboration Center in downtown San Antonio, surrounded by officials from the National Security Agency, FBI, Secret Service, and Department of Homeland Security.
House Bill 150 passed the Legislature just days before Abbott put pen to paper, creating what officials expect will be a $135 million cyber hub operational within 18 months.
The "ultimate mission is to prevent and to protect against cyber breaches," he said at the San Antonio ceremony.
Texas becomes the cybersecurity capital of America
Abbott didn’t mince words about why San Antonio was chosen for this critical mission.
"There could be no more fitting location with a combination of all these assets fighting one of the most vicious and constant crimes we deal with every single day, and working together with the Texas Cyber Command, they will put Texas on a path to be a national leader in cybersecurity," Abbott said.
The Governor has referred to San Antonio as the "cybersecurity capital of the state of Texas," and the numbers back him up.
San Antonio employs over 17,000 cybersecurity and IT professionals across military and civilian operations, making it America’s second-largest hub for cyber expertise after Washington, D.C.
UTSA President Taylor Eighmy emphasized the university’s unique position in the cybersecurity world.
"It’s very fair to say that outside of Washington, D.C., the very epicenter of excellence related to cybersecurity is here," Eighmy said during the ceremony.
The university already boasts a cybersecurity degree program ranked fifth in the nation by Forbes in July.
Command will coordinate statewide cyber defense
The Texas Cyber Command won’t operate in isolation.
Senator Tan Parker, who authored the legislation, explained that the command will "work cooperatively" with existing Regional Security Operations Centers across Texas.
"Cyber command will be here in San Antonio, but it will coordinate with each of those RSOCs that are distributed across the state," Parker said.
The command’s mission goes beyond just state government protection.
School districts, cities, and counties can all choose to participate in the Texas Cyber Command system.
This means every level of Texas government can benefit from the same cutting-edge cybersecurity protection.
The command will take over some of the Texas Department of Information Resources’ cybersecurity responsibilities, becoming the state’s primary cyber defense headquarters.
$345 million investment in America’s cyber future
Budget documents reveal the command will require $135.5 million through 2027, with total costs reaching $345.2 million over five years.
The University of Texas system will contribute $60.4 million from its Permanent University Fund to purchase and upgrade facilities, including specialized secure areas for classified information.
The workforce will begin with 65 full-time positions in 2026, expanding to 130 employees the following year.
John Dickson, founder of Cybersecurity San Antonio and CEO of Bytewhisper Security, called the announcement "a proud moment for San Antonio and its growing cybersecurity industry."
"The governor’s selection of San Antonio for the command is further validation of our city’s leadership role in this fast-moving industry," Dickson stated.
The center will establish a digital forensics laboratory, emergency cyber response team, and intelligence monitoring center to support law enforcement agencies statewide.
Texas officials plan to select the cyber command’s director within three to six months.
The command will also provide biennial reports on Texas’ cybersecurity status and coordinate with federal partners on attack responses.
As cyber threats from hostile nations like China continue to escalate, Texas is positioning itself as America’s frontline defense in the digital battleground.