BlueHat Prize Competition: Microsoft to Pay Out More than $250K to Security Researchers
As part of the BlueHat Prize competition, a contest designed to generate new ideas for defensive approaches to support computer security, Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Group will pay out more than $250,000 in cash to security researchers who come up with new and innovative computer security protection technology. The aforementioned amount can be broken down as follows:
Grand Prize – $200,000
Second Prize – $50,000
Third Prize – an MSDN Universal subscription valued at $10,000
Security researchers who want to take part in this competition and have a chance at winning the Grand Prize of $200K have until the 1st of April 2012 to submit their entries via email (they must be send to bluehatprize@microsoft.com). Microsoft explained that the submissions must focus on effective ways to prevent the use of memory safety vulnerabilities. The winners of the competition will be announced at Black Hat USA 2012.
The rules and regulations of the competition are available here. Additional information is available on the competition’s official site at BlueHatPrize.com.
Here is what Matt Thomlinson, general manager, Trustworthy Computing Group, Microsoft, had to say about the BlueHat Prize competition:
“As the risk of criminal attacks on private and government computer systems continues to increase, Microsoft recognizes the need to stimulate research in the area of defensive computer security technology. Our interest is to promote a focus on developing innovative solutions rather than discovering individual issues. We believe the BlueHat Prize can catalyze defensive efforts to help mitigate entire classes of attacks.”
And here is what Katie Moussouris, senior security strategist lead for the Microsoft Security Response Center, had to say about it:
“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.”
Grand Prize – $200,000
Second Prize – $50,000
Third Prize – an MSDN Universal subscription valued at $10,000
Security researchers who want to take part in this competition and have a chance at winning the Grand Prize of $200K have until the 1st of April 2012 to submit their entries via email (they must be send to bluehatprize@microsoft.com). Microsoft explained that the submissions must focus on effective ways to prevent the use of memory safety vulnerabilities. The winners of the competition will be announced at Black Hat USA 2012.
The rules and regulations of the competition are available here. Additional information is available on the competition’s official site at BlueHatPrize.com.
Here is what Matt Thomlinson, general manager, Trustworthy Computing Group, Microsoft, had to say about the BlueHat Prize competition:
“As the risk of criminal attacks on private and government computer systems continues to increase, Microsoft recognizes the need to stimulate research in the area of defensive computer security technology. Our interest is to promote a focus on developing innovative solutions rather than discovering individual issues. We believe the BlueHat Prize can catalyze defensive efforts to help mitigate entire classes of attacks.”
And here is what Katie Moussouris, senior security strategist lead for the Microsoft Security Response Center, had to say about it:
“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.”
