Google is so confident in security on the
company's Chrome operating system its offering $3.14159 in cash rewards
for successful hacks of the system at this year's Pwnium hacking
contest.
The figure is a nod to pi, an irrational number that has intrigued mathematicians for thousands of years.
Previously the tech giant has offered reward of $1 million and $2 million to crack its systems.
Hack: Crack the Chrome OS and you could win millions
The most likely outcome is that multiple
hacks momentarily compromise the system with several contestants earning
up to $100,000 each, or $150,000 should their hack survive a system
reboot.
For a hack to count, it must be delivered via webpages on a basic-model Samsung 550 Chromebook over a Wi-Fi connection.
'We believe these larger rewards reflect the additional challenge
involved with tackling the security defenses of Chrome OS, compared to
traditional operating systems,' Google Chrome developer Chris Evans
wrote.
Google's previous contestes - CanSecWest 2012 and Hack in the Box -
focused on compromising the Chrome browser but not the same-named OS.
Online: Hacks will only count on a Samsung laptop and done via Wi-Fi
Pwnium was started last year as an
alternative to the Pwn2Own contest after the latter temporarily changed
its rules so that successful hackers didn't have to show their methods.
For some commercial hackers who only sell their secrets to the highest bidder the change was welcome.
For Pwnium, contests can keep their true identities a secret. A teenager
only identified as Pinkie Pie - a name shared by a My Little Pony
character - has won $60,000 at each Pwnium.
While Google calls Chrome OS its most secure operating system its market
share is so small it hasn't yet faced a real world field-test.
Niche: Though Google believes its operating system is solid, its market share is so small it hasn't had a real world field test
However the Pwn2Own prize for cracking
the Chrome browser is $100,000 but only $60,000 for Firefox and $65,000
for Safari. Internet Explorer running on Windows 8 wins $100,000 and IE 9
on Windows 7 nets $75,000.
Pwn2Own winners also get to keep the contest provided laptops.
Pwnium hasn't said whether winners will be able to leave with their
Chromebooks but as they only run $450 its likely the company won't lose
sleep over the losses.
Google has never once paid out the full amount offered for a Chrome browser crack.
http://www.dailymail...ing-system.html
No comments:
Post a Comment