NEWS 13.05.99: Infosecurity Asia is today launching a computer hacker competition designed to illustrate why IT security should be taken seriously.
Hackers from across the world are being invited to break into three Web servers - based in Singapore - and perform tasks including changing the text of a web page and transferring a file. The first successful entrant to identify him or herself and replay the hacking sequence to the organisers will win $10,000.
13.05.04: This kind of contest is not uncommon. Other organisations have arranged similar stunts and most have been met with accusations of 'irresponsibility'.
While on one hand it may send out messages of how much is still to be done to secure systems it does also send out the message that there is money to be made from hacking.
Of course there is 'ethical hacking' - which is the equivalent of hiring somebody to break into your house and then ensuring your get added security for the ways in which they find. But that is not to say all hacking contests are welcome.
Microsoft certainly didn't think so when a $200,000 prize was put up for the first person to hack the Xbox and get Linux running on an unmodified console.
The software giant was further angered to learn the prize was offered by the head of Lindows - the firm Microsoft has fought at length over its choice of name.
Perhaps the most horrific backfiring of such a challenge was in the case of Argus Systems. The company challenged hackers to break into a server it had secured at the Infosecurity Show in 2001.
Unfortunately for Argus the winners actually managed to complete the hack before the show's doors had even opened.
