Officer Ward

Officer Ward
Cyber Defender & Detention Center Security Officer

Officer Ward believes that most people who disrespect the privelages of Cyberspace are more ignorant than criminal, and that most cyber criminals can be rehabilitated into faithful cyber citizens through education about the dangers of delinquency in Cyberspace.

Working closely with Commander Omni and the Cyber Defense Academy, Officer Ward hopes to secure Cyberspace for everyone.

Favorite Quote:

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do
- John Baptiste Moliere

Favorite Food:

Cupcakes

Interests:

Coaching softball, fishing, catching cyber criminals

March 30 2009

Cyber Criminals: Hacking Conferences

Security conferences are a popular location for companies and government officials to try and recruit new employees. At these conferences, security experts teach network administrators and information-technology managers how to protect their systems from hackers. College students in computer security programs can even have their tuition covered by the government, if they promise to work there after they graduate.

But some security conferences are a little more secret and underground, such as the conferences that the hackers attend. Here, budding cyber criminals and seasoned hackers meet to trade secrets and learn new tricks from each other.

Believe it or not, companies and government officials also attend these conferences, to gain more insight into the current state of cyber crime. They also try to recruit employees at these conferences, encouraging them to turn from Black Hat Hackers to Grey Hat Hackers.

posted by Officer Ward
topic: Cyber Criminals

March 26 2009

New Detainees

As you can see from the News bulletin, the notorious Cyber Villains Elvirus and Ms. Information have been captured and are now in their own cells at the Detention Center. This is a big win for the Cyber Defenders and a message to cyber criminals everywhere that no matter how infamous you are, we can and will stop you.

I want to especially commend Sparky for his assistance in the capture. Officer Marshall would not have been able to track down the source of the Web site hoax as quickly as he did, if it weren't for Sparky's help, and Elvirus and Ms. Information might have managed to escape if we'd shown up just little bit later.

So, on behalf of the Cyber Defenders and the Academy: Thank You, Sparky, for helping us make Cyberspace safer!

posted by Officer Ward
topic: Cyberspace Updates

March 16 2009

Cyber Crimes: Cyber Stalking

An aggressive form of cyber bullying, cyber stalking is the use of the Internet to follow, harass, or contact others in an unwanted manner. Like offline stalking, cyber stalking is a threatening behavior and aims to cause the victim distress.

Cyber stalkers use search engines, online forums, bulletin boards, chat rooms, and social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, to research and stalk their victims, feeding their own obsessions and curiosity. They might not even know their victims offline.

Cyber stalking can cause more emotional harm than milder forms of cyber bullying, and victims can feel completely powerless, with no control over the situation. They can become depressed, overwhelmed by fear, and full of anxiety. They might start avoiding the Internet or even the rest of the world entirely because of fear for their safety.

Just like other forms of cyber bullying, protect yourself from cyber stalkers by making sure that you won't be an easy target. Don't share your personal information in Cyberspace, especially photos and videos. Follow Betty's guidelines for creating a safe alias, and carefully choose which chat rooms and Web sites you visit in Cyberspace to make sure they are moderated and safe.

If someone is bothering you in Cyberspace, be the better person and ignore them and walk away. Then, let a trusted adult know about it, so you can work out a solution together.

posted by Officer Ward
topic: Cyber Crimes