CyManII expands critical infrastructure training in Texas with stop in Corpus Christi
With cyberattacks increasingly targeting the systems communities rely on most, public and private sector stakeholders in Nueces County gathered last week to strengthen Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity defenses for Texas critical infrastructure.
On February 26 and 27, the Cybersecurity Manufacturing and Innovation Institute (CyManII) at UT San Antonio partnered with Texas Cyber Command (TXCC) to host a two-day OT and critical infrastructure cybersecurity simulation exercise at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. The training brought together technical teams and community leaders to respond to real world cyberattacks in real time to strengthen cyber readiness and resilience.
The Corpus Christi event marks CyManII’s fifth critical infrastructure training in the past six months as part of its broader statewide effort to serve Texas counties through community-wide cybersecurity training engagement. Previous training sessions affected residents in Hidalgo, Maverick, Bexar and Guadalupe counties. To date, CyManII’s efforts have positively impacted eight critical infrastructure sectors, trained 140 professionals, and strengthened protections for more than 3.6 million Texans.
U.S. critical infrastructure has long been a target of sophisticated cyber campaigns. According to a 2025 report from industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos, more than 3,000 organizations nationwide experienced cyberattacks last year. In the industrial sector, 75% of those incidents led to partial OT shutdowns, while 25% resulted in full shutdowns.
“Critical infrastructure programs and initiatives are urgently needed because these systems are under constant attack,” said Ed McCormick, Regional Innovation Officer with CyManII’s Lone Star Cyber Forge. “CyManII is helping communities come together to confront simulated threats before they become real ones.”
During the training, representatives from multiple sectors – including energy, manufacturing and government services – participated in collaborative discussions and technical exercises. Attendees included personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, FBI Houston Division, City of Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Port of Corpus Christi, San Patricio Electric Cooperative, Formosa Plastics, Steel Dynamics and other regional partners.
Over the two days, participants engaged in hands-on cyberattack simulations designed to mirror threats targeting OT and industrial control systems. The exercise featured ransomware demonstrations, incident response coordination drills, and risk assessment discussions focused on safeguarding systems vital to public health, safety and economic stability.
“I came to this training to better understand the threats we’re facing,” said Edson Wellmann, IT supervisor at Steel Dynamics. “It helps us identify vulnerabilities and be proactive in our networks. Knowing the steps to follow – and having a clear communication and troubleshooting framework – is critical.”
CyManII officials led the training using the institute’s Cyber Range capabilities, providing a hands-on environment where participants walked through alert triage, containment strategies and recovery planning. The training reinforced that cyber incidents extend beyond traditional IT networks and can have direct, real-world impacts on physical infrastructure and essential services.
“I’ve worked in manufacturing for years, so I wanted to see whether the practices we use align with industry best standards and where we could improve,” said Matthew Salinas, Security Manager at Formosa Plastics. “When an active attack happens, this kind of preparation helps you operate effectively in that environment. It definitely opened my eyes.”
By bringing together local leaders, industry operators and state and federal cybersecurity partners, the Corpus Christi event underscored one of CyManII’s core principles: Secure Together.
“Cybersecurity training like this helps close knowledge gaps organizations may not realize they have,” said Robert Benavides, network specialist at Del Mar College. “I appreciate how CyManII emphasizes collaboration. Protecting our systems requires everyone working as a team.”
