Bait and phish: Blue Team at Misawa cooks up online scams to test network

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Bait and phish: Blue Team at Misawa cooks up online scams to test network
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, February 19, 2009

Tech. Sgt. Thomas Parker and Senior Airman Jesse Sibley never miss a phishing trip.

At least once a month, the two airmen will cook up a good online scam and try to penetrate network security at Misawa Air Base in northern Japan. They’ve even managed to get a few bites along the way.

But there’s nothing illegal going on here. They’re part of the Blue Team, a Pacific Air Forces effort created last year to fend off e-mail scammers and hackers by playing the role and testing practices.

Parker, the noncommissioned officer in charge of information assurance for the 35th Fighter Wing and head of the two-man crew, said it’s aimed at building stronger defense lines among base agencies and individuals.

"With the rise in these types of scams around the world, it just seemed natural to start educating our users here," he said. "Eventually, they’re all going to see this and need to know how to handle it."


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60795