Saturday, May 18, 2013

Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

Teens Turn Cyber Vigilantes in Computer Science Competition
Posted: 03.11.2013 at 8:54 AM
Action 4 News Staff

Members of the Action 4 News team worked together to bring you this report.

0
Teens Turn Cyber Vigilantes in Computer Science Competition
Slideshow
Photo:

It's the lifeline of the technological world that moves trillions of pieces of data on a daily basis.
          
The computer, whether it’s business or personal, is utilized in multiple facets.
           
But in some cases, they can turn into a cyber nightmare when viruses spread from device to device.

“It can be anything, from trojans, keyloggers, somebody types anything on the keyboard and it keeps track of the info and saves it for later," said William Beckman, instructor at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen.
           
Hardware viruses, or malware, attach themselves to computers, and they don’t discriminate.
           
It could be your home or work device, and can even, as Beckman says, reach national security levels.
"We have China attacking us, we have Iran, even Russia," says Beckman.The problem?
           
Once attached, it spreads, and can steal confidential information, even aiding in stealing your identity.
           
Enter the experts, in training that is.
           
These cadets are part of the Cyberpatriot team on the campus of the Marine Military Academy.
           
They've dedicated hours to learning the ins and outs of the computer science field.
Kyle Rogers, the team captain, says, “After school we'll come in and learn how to secure a network or find all the things that are wrong with a computer."
           
The cadets then put those skills to use in competitions that put them in the center of a real world situation.
So much so, that Beckman says, “There's actually going to be a group of hackers who are going to hack into their computers."
Meantime, Rogers adds, "And we'll have to secure it, and make it safe for users."
           
Cracking the code that one day, may be the one that saves some very important data from being taken from the information highway. 

Popular Stories
Thumbnail
Woman takes 3-year-old with her to steal truck
Action 4 News Staff  |  Yesterday at 12:07 PM  |  13 comments
Thumbnail
Continuous sexual assault of girl lands man in jail
Action 4 News Staff  |  Yesterday at 2:42 PM  |  27 comments
Thumbnail
Stabbing with 'unknown' object sends man to hospital
Action 4 News Staff  |  Yesterday at 10:44 AM  |  3 comments
Follow Valley Central
Get news and weather notifications on your phone by downloading the iPhone or Android app below
Sign up to get alerts and updates for breaking news, severe weather, and deals:
submit
ADVERTISEMENT
Special Features
Hurricane Page
Action 4 News has placed all our Hurricane Season videos, maps, stories and resources on one page.
Weather Sketchers
Hey kids! Submit your drawing for the Action 4 News "Weather Sketchers" program.
High School Football
High school football season is here.
Action 4 Deals
Get half-off gift certificates to restaurants & more through our Action 4 Deals program.
ADVERTISEMENT