Hackers, crackers, and other top coders can make some quick bucks in the near future.

Drakon

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Hackers, crackers, and other top coders can make some quick bucks in the near future. An anti-piracy software company is challenging the hacker community for the second time to crack its product.WIBU-Systems USA, Inc. will give $40,000 to the first person who can hack into and remove their anti-piracy software from a protected application. Techies will have six weeks to try, starting Jan. 31. Registration for the challenge kicks off at MacWorld Expo next week in San Francisco.

“We’re saying to the hackers of the world, ‘You’ve been boasting that you can remove anti-privacy systems. Here’s a chance to earn bragging rights and take home 40,000 bucks if you’re as good as you think you are,” says John Poulson, VP of business development at WIBU-Systems, a German-based company with U.S. headquarters in Seattle.

Poulson says he’s feeling pretty confidant their software can stand up to the pressure. The company has issued the challenge before with a previous product — that time offering $4,000. He says no one broke the software so no one took home the money.

“This is 10 times more secure, so we’re offering 10 times the prize money. And to be honest, if somebody can [break the security software], it would be worth it to know how they did it and maybe give them a job,” he adds laughing. “If they have a few more points on their IQ, we’d like to have them on board.”

To get this kind wide ranging testing done, Poulson says it would be well worth spending the $40,000. “If you’ve produced software that will tell an oil company where to drill a well, you wouldn’t want the rascals in Albania using that for free when you can sell it for $100,000,” he says, adding that they need their software to be able to protect those kinds of applications.

Registered challengers will receive an application protected with the latest WIBU-Systems anti-piracy software, along with a full software developer kit. “They can see how the software security system is put together,” says Poulson. “We think our system is so secure that even knowing that they won’t be able to bust through it.”

The challenge will start at 6 p.m. on Jan 31 and will run till 5:59 p.m. on March 14.

Source
 
Crackers? What do white people have to do with this? :cmad:




Sounds like a scheme to catch some hackers. :o
 
This is the most asinine competition. What if the hackers really do crack the code? What then? It will make them pride and boastful, and there would be an increase in hack-attacks. Omg, they're dumb.


For some reason, why do I think, the hackers - the people who create sperm, and woodworms, and trojan horses - and the antivirus people, actually work together, making millions off of us. :mad:
 
Software people "ok and go!!"

Hacker *tap tap tap* "Finished"

Software people "WTF???!"

I would like to see that :D
 
Is that the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in your avatar? That was boring piece of trash filmmaking, lol.

Watch the Perfect Strangers. Now, that is what I consider, amazing.
 
That's not the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in his avatar.

And security software firms do these contests for a couple of reasons. One, it generates a ton of free publicity. Two, it gives them a real world testing experience with hardcore hackers for peanuts and sometimes lets them find holes they didn't know existed. In the end, though, the major hackers tend to not get involved in these things, so the mettle of these systems isn't tested by the real cream of the crop. The only exception I know of to that generality was a contest a guy ran daring hackers to hack into a Mac OS X box with a standard configuration over the 'net, and that one attracted a lot of primo linux and unix hackers to the party. He still has his money, incidentally. :)

jag
 
I remember specifically reading a story where a dude hacked an ATM and got like 20g or something like that, and the next day, spoke to the bank manager and gave the money back and explained how he did it.
 
I remember specifically reading a story where a dude hacked an ATM and got like 20g or something like that, and the next day, spoke to the bank manager and gave the money back and explained how he did it.
i heard something like this too
it's awesome
 
Hacking ATM's is relatively easy. They use a "trap" made out of microfiche that they insert into the card reader. What this does is it traps a users card when they insert it in there so that they can't get it out. They then go and wait for someone to try to use the ATM, give them a few minutes to get their card stuck in there, and then come in like they're going to use the ATM. Of course, the person who's using it already is frustrated and upset that the machine "ate their card" and ready to try anything. At that point, the hacker says "Oh, well I read that if you type in your code while you hold down these three keys and then press them all at once immediately after you press the last number it will give you the card back. I'll help you try it if you want." or some BS like that. A lot of people fall for this, which basically gives the hacker their passcode for their card. After the person leaves because they don't get their card back, the hacker pulls the card out of the card reader with his trap, uses the card to pull money out of the ATM and goes about his merry way.

I don't think ATM's typically carry $20G, though. I'd be curious if the guy you reference really hacked into the ATM without any tricks like the one I mentioned above, or if he was using a similar scheme.

jag
 
i don't remember exactly how he did it...but they explained it on the news and it made sense to me
 
/\ Awww my first sig quote :D (took long enough)

Naw, they do ATMs by putting a card reader in the slot, the person then puts the card in, as it goes it the card is read and the data is sent to a laptop, then the person sticks in the pin number this is caught on a small spy camera (or person standing around) situated above the person, then the the "hacker" has the data and pin number to duplicate the persons card and use it anywhere they want.
 
That's not the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in his avatar.

And security software firms do these contests for a couple of reasons. One, it generates a ton of free publicity. Two, it gives them a real world testing experience with hardcore hackers for peanuts and sometimes lets them find holes they didn't know existed. In the end, though, the major hackers tend to not get involved in these things, so the mettle of these systems isn't tested by the real cream of the crop. The only exception I know of to that generality was a contest a guy ran daring hackers to hack into a Mac OS X box with a standard configuration over the 'net, and that one attracted a lot of primo linux and unix hackers to the party. He still has his money, incidentally. :)

jag
Why does every post turn into an OS X ad?
OSX isnt that amazingly secure.
 
Why does every post turn into an OS X ad?
OSX isnt that amazingly secure.


No OS is 100% secure, but Windows is like freakin' swiss cheese. I believe that guy is still running his contest to have his OS X box hacked over the 'net so go knock yourself out, make some extra cash and impress the world. :up:

jag
 
No OS is 100% secure, but Windows is like freakin' swiss cheese. I believe that guy is still running his contest to have his OS X box hacked over the 'net so go knock yourself out, make some extra cash and impress the world. :up:

jag
Im not on Windows, I know that.
 
Im not on Windows, I know that.

Good. We need more people like you. Windows is an abysmal platform and I loathe that the masses use it so much. Macs are the most user-friendly flavor of linux/unix variant and the 'net would be a lot more secure if people would switch to them from Windows. For the people that are smart enough to play with other variants (Ubuntu is my personal, current fave) then they ought to. I use Macs because I've become more about the creative force in me than the computer jockey and I just want the damn thing to work so I can make my music and write rather than mucking with the guts of it all the time.

jag
 
Good. We need more people like you. Windows is an abysmal platform and I loathe that the masses use it so much. Macs are the most user-friendly flavor of linux/unix variant and the 'net would be a lot more secure if people would switch to them from Windows. For the people that are smart enough to play with other variants (Ubuntu is my personal, current fave) then they ought to. I use Macs because I've become more about the creative force in me than the computer jockey and I just want the damn thing to work so I can make my music and write rather than mucking with the guts of it all the time.

jag
Im actually on Ubuntu right now.
I hate windows as well. When I built this comp 4 months ago, I installed XP( big mistake) and had more problems than Ive had with my G4, which Ive had for at least 3 years.
Too be honest, I hate where Apple is going right now, thats partly why I switched.
Although OS X is their best OS, they were a much better company pre OSX.
 
Im actually on Ubuntu right now.
I hate windows as well. When I built this comp 4 months ago, I installed XP( big mistake) and had more problems than Ive had with my G4, which Ive had for at least 3 years.
Too be honest, I hate where Apple is going right now, thats partly why I switched.
Although OS X is their best OS, they were a much better company pre OSX.

I don't know, I think Apple's making some pretty big strides lately. They're finally paying more attention to their computer line again instead of fixating on the damn iPods so much. I think they're managing their growth well and keeping it in check so that it doesn't impact quality, too. The next year will be telling.

jag
 
Someone post Weird Al's Its All about the Pentiums.
 
I don't know, I think Apple's making some pretty big strides lately. They're finally paying more attention to their computer line again instead of fixating on the damn iPods so much. I think they're managing their growth well and keeping it in check so that it doesn't impact quality, too. The next year will be telling.

jag
They actually give less freedom than Windows.
OS X isnt fully open source (I think some of it is, not actually sure)
Their boxes are about 500-700 dollars more expensive than they should be.
Their DRM sucks
I hate how they try to appeal to the bohemian hippie liberal arts college kids. People who sit around in Starbucks with their black turtle necks and indie music on their iPod right after they filled up the Prius and right before they go to MOMA to see a new exhibit.
Id rather be the PC guy in the Apple ads. The Mac guy looks like a prick.

Edit- By the way, can you actually tell me the difference between a Mac and a PC sans OS, besides a couple hundred bucks and the logo. Ive never actually looked inside either of my iMacs.
 
This is the most asinine competition. What if the hackers really do crack the code? What then? It will make them pride and boastful, and there would be an increase in hack-attacks. Omg, they're dumb.


For some reason, why do I think, the hackers - the people who create sperm, and woodworms, and trojan horses - and the antivirus people, actually work together, making millions off of us. :mad:

.....:dry:
 
They actually give less freedom than Windows.
OS X isnt fully open source (I think some of it is, not actually sure)
Their boxes are about 500-700 dollars more expensive than they should be.
Their DRM sucks
I hate how they try to appeal to the bohemian hippie liberal arts college kids. People who sit around in Starbucks with their black turtle necks and indie music on their iPod right after they filled up the Prius and right before they go to MOMA to see a new exhibit.
Id rather be the PC guy in the Apple ads. The Mac guy looks like a prick.

Edit- By the way, can you actually tell me the difference between a Mac and a PC sans OS, besides a couple hundred bucks and the logo. Ive never actually looked inside either of my iMacs.


lmao, so true.:woot:
 

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