A group of Utah students has taken proactive measures to combat phishing attempts by leveraging their computer skills to dismantle fraudulent websites, thereby safeguarding potential victims. Led by Charles Mortensen, a high school junior at Davis County High School, these students developed VEGA (Victims’ Empowerment Guard against Attacks) as a response to the increasing incidence of hacking within their community. Motivated by personal connections to hacking victims, including friends and peers, Mortensen witnessed the detrimental impact of phishing attacks, such as jeopardizing crucial communication channels for those in foster care, like a friend who fell victim to an Instagram phishing attempt.
VEGA operates by feeding false information to phishing websites, effectively thwarting hackers’ attempts to obtain legitimate credentials. Mortensen’s system has shown promising results, with reported success in shutting down phishing sites by inundating them with fake data. Despite currently running the program on his personal system, Mortensen aspires to expand VEGA’s reach to numerous computers, potentially dismantling thousands of phishing sites monthly.
Collaborating with peers like Regan Hosea and Jordan Kingston, Mortensen aims to refine and scale up VEGA’s capabilities. Seeking sponsorship to access more computer systems, Mortensen hopes to enhance VEGA’s effectiveness in combating phishing on a larger scale. If Mortensen’s claims hold true, VEGA could represent a pioneering effort in developing innovative defenses against phishing, a persistent security threat affecting organizations worldwide.
Mortensen’s initiative not only offers hope to phishing victims within his community but also fosters collaboration in tackling cybersecurity challenges, underscoring the importance of proactive measures in safeguarding against cyber threats.
