People
Stephen Gary
Professor of Instruction
CONTACT
Office: CIS 2039
Email
BIO
“Scuba” Steve Gary, PhD, CISSP, is a Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida, where he has taught in the Cybersecurity and Intelligence Studies graduate programs since their launch in Fall 2014. He also serves as the Internship Coordinator for both programs and hosts the Veterans’ Cybersecurity and Intelligence Seminar, supporting the next generation of cyber and intelligence professionals.
Dr. Gary’s passion is cyber intelligence—analyzing the who, what, when, where, why, how, and, most importantly, the so what of cyber events. His work focuses on cyber threat actors responsible for today’s most significant cyber crimes, including ransomware and cyber espionage.
A highly decorated career U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Dr. Gary has conducted intelligence operations since 1997 and cyber intelligence since 2005. He recently served 10 years as the Florida Chapter President of the Military Cyber Professionals Association (MCPA), continuing his commitment to the military, veteran, and cyber professional communities.
Courses Dr. Gary currently teaches:
LIS6709 – Cyber Intelligence
LIS6933 – Veterans’ Cybersecurity and Intelligence Seminar
LIS6906 – Independent Study
LIS6946 – Practicum
Education
- Ph. D., University of South Florida
- M.S., Air Force Institute of Technology
Recent Publications & Research
- Borum, R., Gary, S. & Chavarria, D. (March 5, 2026). Iranian Cyber Counteroffensive: Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing. Cyber Florida. [Bulletin]. University of South Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Borum, R.; Gary, S.; Fernandes, K.; & Pontius, L. (2025). Florida critical infrastructure: 2025 cybersecurity intelligence assessment. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Gary, S.; Borum, R.; Cobian, N.; Homsey, Z.; & Pontius, L. (2025). Artificial intelligence threats: What everyone should know. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Broxton II, K.; Gary, S.; Borum, R.; Bentivenga, J.; Nodarse, J.; & Venezuela, L.S. (2025) Florida ransomware incidents 2020-2024 [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Gary, S.; Borum, R.; Burney, R.; & Bentivenga, J. (2024). Florida critical infrastructure: 2024 cybersecurity intelligence assessment. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/2024-intelligence-assessment/
- Gary, S.; Burney, R.; Borum, R.; & Bentivenga, J. (2024). Florida elections: 2024 cybersecurity intelligence assessment. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Gary, S. (2024). Why Teaching Cyber Intelligence is Important. [White Paper]. Cyber Florida. University of South Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/
- Gary, S. (2023). Why teaching cyber intelligence is important. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/teaching-cyber-intelligence/
- Gary, S., Borum, R. & Burney, R. (2023). Florida critical infrastructure cybersecurity intelligence assessment. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/2023-intelligenceassessment/
- Gary, S. (2021). Internship and job acquisition experiences of veterans in a graduate cybersecurity degree program. (Publication No. 9113 [Doctoral dissertation, University of South Florida]. USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/9113/
- Haggard, R. & Gary, S. (2020). Cyber intelligence report: Florida ransomware incidents 16-19. [Report]. Cyber Florida. https://cyberflorida.org/florida-ransomware-incidents-2016-2019/
- Gary, S. & Borum R. (2017). US national cybersecurity: International politics, concepts, and organization. In D. Van Puyvelde & A. F. Brantly (Eds.), Evolving cyber intelligence. (pp. 123- 139). New York, NY: Routledge. [Book Chapter].