The combination of social networking sites and human nature – specifically, male nature – permitted a fictitious cyber threat vixen analyst to set up a network of bewitched intelligence and defense rubes into offers of employment and speaking engagements, among other things:
Her connections on it included men working for the nation’s most senior military officer, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and for one of the most secret government agencies of all, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which builds, launches and runs U.S. spy satellites. Others included a senior intelligence official in the U.S. Marine Corps, the chief of staff for a U.S. congressman, and several senior executives at defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. Almost all were seasoned security professionals.
But Robin Sage did not exist.
Her profile was a ruse set up by security consultant Thomas Ryan as part of an effort to expose weaknesses in the nation’s defense and intelligence communities – what Mr. Ryan calls “an independent ‘red team’ exercise.”
It is not the first time “white-hat” hackers have carried out such a social-engineering experiment, but military and intelligence security specialists told The Washington Times that the exercise reveals important vulnerabilities in the use of social networking by people in the national security field.
Ms. Sage’s connections invited her to speak at a private-sector security conference in Miami, and to review an important technical paper by a NASA researcher. Several invited her to dinner. And there were many invitations to apply for jobs.
This sort of thing is as old as civilization. These days, everything just happens more quickly.
Ms. Sage’s connections invited her to speak at a private-sector security conference in Miami, and to review an important technical paper by a NASA researcher.
Is it just me, or do cybergeeks seem to lack a certain protective, cynical shell that having to cope with the Real World seems to impart?
Cyber geeks think their world is the real world. While that world does seem a bit esoteric, they do have a partial point, even from the standpoint of non-geekdom (written by one who has to deal with their issues, yet needing to keep my feet firmly nailed to the floor).
The main problem is the evil they have to deal with daily has no face, much less a cute one, attached. They can be just a bit nekulturny when it comes to that.
Oddly enough a simple Google search on Robin Sage should have been enough to at least raise eyebrows.
Robin Sage is the name of a Special Forces exercise for those about to graduate the school.
V5
LOL! I couldn’t remember where I had heard that name before.
That was my very first thought. I’d be more than a little suspicious about that.
Ditto.
Yep.
c’mon, ya gotta admit, she IS cute
But what’s with the scarf??
/twitter
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The fact that SO many “top oficials” can be duped should indicate exactly HOW far the DoD (and its’ contractors) can trust the “new social media,” when it comes to security!
Black comedian David Chappelle once said on Conan O’Brian’s show that if he could somehow monetize the vagina/clitoris–make it into some kind of coin/subway-like token, he could be set for life–he could go anywhere and pay for anything–would readily be accepted everywhere/anywhere in the world! LOL!! (Conan absolutely FELL OUT!)
Cute, but really a yawn type of story. There is a problem with social networking among intelligence types, but … defense executives? Congressional staffers? Networking is what they’re supposed to do.
Reminds me of a Siberian lass I went to college with six year ago…
Churchy LeFemme is OK, but I still prefer Albert Alligator.
Is there something you want to tell your wife? Most badgers prefer Mam’selle Hepzibah.
She IS one hot little skunk, isn’t she. I just prefer Albert’s view on life.
Scott, a bit of ephemera, here. Remember the flat-boat they used to pole around? And how Kelly used to assign an ever-changing unbelievable variety of highly unique names– both place and individual–on the sides or bow or stern of the skiff? Sometimes even varying them from frame to frame? Well, my Mother used to date Walt Kelly in her youth, and in her memory he used to assign her name–her first and middle name–Kathryn Barbara–to the skiff on Easter weekend’s cartoon every Easter until he died for over 40 some years.
SS KATHRYN BARBARA? COOL! What a small world, I chat with a man, whose Mom dated Walt Kelly. That was such an enjoyable strip. Did you learn to sing the proper words to the song when you were a child, then?
Deck the Halls with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla Washington and Kalamazoo!
Nora’s freezing on the trolly,
Swaller Dollar califlower, Alley-Garoo!
Don’t we know Archaic Barrel?
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou!
Trolly Molly don’t love Harold,
Boola Boola, Pensacoola, Hullaballo!
I haven’t heard those words in years. Lives there a kid from that time period that didn’t learn those words? Of course, I learned “deck the halls with gasoline” first.
I loved Pogo and miss the strip. I also liked Steve Canyon. Milt Caniff died not too long ago. The Morgan County Library had a Steve Canyon collection, but didn’t have Pogo for some reason. I wasn’t able to find anything in print at the time (about 8 years ago) on Amazon.
[...] Fonte: Washington Times, via Neptunus Lex [...]
Yea verrilly, Scott. And MORE ephemera:* Hullabaloo* is the name of Tulane’s student campus newspaper..
[...] Washington Times, Neptunus Lex No [...]