Think you can crack chrome operating system?

M the name

5 Feb 13, 11:44

Google offers '$3.14159m' prize

Calling all hackers

Google is so confident af the security on its Chrome operating system it is offering $3.14159 million (S$3.9 million) 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.

The tech giant had previously offered rewards of $1 million and $2 million to crack its systems.

The most likely outcome is that multiple backs 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 Chrome book over a Wi-Fi connection.

"We believe these larger rewards reflect the additional challenge involved with tackling the security defences of Chrome OS, compared to traditional operating systems," Google Chrome developer Chris Evans wrote.

Google's previous contests - CanSecWest 2012 and Hack in the Box - focused on compromising the Chrome browser but not the same-named OS.

Pwnium was started last year as an alternative to the Pwn2Own contest, after the latter temporarily changed its rules so that successful hackers did not 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 identified only 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 that it hasn't yet faced a real world field test

The Pwn20wn 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.

Pwn20wn winners also get to keep the laptops provided for the contests.

Pwnium organisers have not said whether winners will be able to leave with their Chromebooks, but since Google reportedly sells each of the machines for a relatively inexpensive $450, it is unlikely the company Will lose sleep over the losses.

Google has never once paid out the full amount offered for a Chrome browser crack.

The New Paper On Sunday, 3 February 2013, Pg 24

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

5 Feb 13, 13:35

Give me a machette... I will hack it into pieces~~~