Typically, the only prize hackers anticipate receiving is a nice little TRO and watching impotently as their computer equipment is hauled off by feds. Not exactly a fair reward for all their hard work. This year's annual Pwn2Own contest - held in Vancouver, British Columbia over the course of March 9th, 10th and 11th - offers a generous reprieve: hack well enough, and you might walk away with cash. In the case of Google's Chrome browser, the prize money totals $20,000.
Pwn2Own devotees may be surprised by this development. The internet giant is the first browser-maker to actually put up its own money at the yearly security summit, reports computerworld.com.
Google has certainly been making waves lately - riding high on the success of its Chrome web browser and ferreting out an alleged Microsoft ploy to steal thunder (and actual results) from its ubiquitous search engine. Rewarding hackers who can break Chrome seems a fitting bookend.
Aaron Portnoy, who manages TippingPoint Technologies' Security Research Team and helped develop the Pwn2Own contest, blogged about the upcoming contest and explained the special rules for exploiting Chrome:
"As for Chrome, the contest will be a two-part one. On day 1, Google will offer $20,000 USD and the CR-48 if a contestant can pop the browser and escape the sandbox using vulnerabilities purely present in Google-written code," he explained. "If competitors are unsuccessful, on day 2 and 3 the ZDI will offer $10,000 USD for a sandbox escape in non-Google code and Google will offer $10,000 USD for the Chrome bug."
Of course, Pwn2Own isn't just about Google. Other prizes will be awarded for hacking IE, Firefox and Safari. Mobile phones are also fair game: hack an iOS-running iPhone or Nexus 6 with Android and you'll walk away with a $15,000 bounty.
Pre-registration ends on February 15th. If your hacking skills are up to snuff and you plan on entering the contest, let us know in the comments.
