Microsoft has announced a big contest for security researchers who develop exploits and work for defensive security technologies. The total cost of award is big enough to attract good security researchers to the program.
Microsoft announced this contest and wrote on website, "The object of this Contest is to design a novel runtime mitigation technology solution that is capable of preventing the exploitation of memory safety vulnerabilities. For purposes of this Contest, each prototype that is capable of protecting an application that runs on Windows you create and submit in the Contest will be called an "entry." All eligible entries received will be judged using the criteria described below to determine the winners of the prizes described below."
This Contest starts at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on August 3, 2011, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on April 1, 2012 ("Entry Period").
Prizes
First Prize, $200,000 (USD)
Second Prize: $50,000
Third Prize: MSDN Universal subscription valued at $10,000 (USD)
What it’s about
The bottom line is that Microsoft want to ask people to think like cyber-hackers, and will pay them for new tools that will help put a dent in the hacking world. According to Katie Moussouris, senior security strategist lead for the Microsoft Security Response Center.
“Microsoft wants to encourage more security experts to think about ways to reduce threats to computing devices. We’re looking to collaborate with others to build solutions to tough industry problems. We believe the BlueHat Prize will encourage the world’s most talented researchers and academics to tackle key security challenges and offer them a chance to impact the world.”
New News, Old News
This is not Microsoft’s first foray into this field. Three years ago, Microsoft wanted to promote the idea that security challenges should be looked at by more than one company. They created the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to help further protect customers. Through this program, Microsoft shares information with security vendors around the world to release protection technologies to their customers much faster.
So BlueHat is an extension of the MAPP program, but it has its own flair. Specifically Microsoft challenges security researchers to design new runtime mitigation technologies, which will prevent the exploitation of memory safety vulnerabilities. Eventually, based on the success, the new technologies will be shared with others.
The contest runs from August 3rd 2011 to midnight Pacific Time on April 1st 2012.
Source: Microsoft
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