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South Mississippi University Trains Students to Catch Computer-Savvy Criminals

Posted on: Monday, 15 August 2005, 15:00 CDT

Aug. 13--GULFPORT -- Phishing and pharming are two of the terms cybercrime students learned this week in efforts to keep up with ways to catch computer-savvy criminals.

These and other odd terms are becoming everyday language for cybercrime investigators in a race to keep up with the growing number of computer-related crimes, said Tom Payne, associate professor with the University of Southern Mississippi's Administration of Justice Department in Long Beach.

Payne awarded certificates Friday to nearly 30 students who completed the five-day course in computer security and cybercrime investigation. Some of them are students enrolled at USM. Others are law enforcement officers who took the course in cooperation with the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute.

"Our training helps alleviate the intimidation factor that is normal with new technology," said Payne. "We take the mystery out of it and provide training that would probably cost $20,000 to $30,000 if it were available in the private sector.

"Mississippi is way behind the curve in having this type of specialized training. We've just unleashed 27 new cyber-warriors to go out there and thwart computer criminals."

Payne said the course offers instruction from cybercrime specialists. Those helping this week were personnel from U.S. Navy intelligence, Keesler Air Force Base, U.S. Immigration and Customs and the state Attorney General's Office.

And about the phishing and pharming?

Phishing refers to an e-mail in which the sender tries to obtain your confidential information by falsely claiming they have a need for it. Pharming refers to a code that redirects you to a bogus Web site where the criminal may be able to access your confidential information.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.)

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