A-SIT has been founded in 1999 as a competence center for information security. Core activities are on electronic signatures, electronic identity, payment systems, e-government, cloud and mobile security. In particular, it functions as certification authority ("Bestätigungsstelle") for qualified electronic signature-creation and accredited conformity assessment body for qualified trust service providers under the EU eIDAS Regulation.

A-SIT is a non-profit association, its members are public authorities. Current members are the Federal Chancellery (BKA), Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), the Federal Computing Centre (BRZ), Danube University Krems (DUK) and Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU).

Charter members that founded A-SIT in 1999 have been the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF), the Central bank of the Republic of Austria (OeNB), and Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). The Styrian Business Promotion Ageny (SFG) has been member of A-SIT from 2003 to 2005. In 2012 the Federal Computing Centre (BRZ) could be gained as a member, Danube University Krems (DUK) in 2018, and JKU in 2021. The Federal Republic of Austria is currently represented by the Federal Federal Chancellery (BKA).