from the winner-receives-a-non-disclosure-agreement dept.
El Reg reports:
Spooks have called upon the good people of Blighty to help protect an airline from attack by a vicious group of nerdy cyber-terrorists.
That might sound like the secret services are getting a bit desperate, but don't worry kids: it's only a game.
The bods at GCHQ have announced a new part of the Cyber Security Challenge UK designed to unearth potential digital knights of the realm.
[...] Chris Ensor is deputy director for the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance, a branch of GCHQ, said: "We have designed Astute Explorer to really test candidates' cyber security skills. At GCHQ, like many other high tech organisations, we recognise the need for a skilled workforce, which is why we are delighted to once again support the Cyber Security Challenge to inspire the next generation of cyber security talent.”
You can register for the challenge here.
(Score: 2) by d on Sunday August 24 2014, @09:51PM
Evil guys looking for more evil guys out in the open. Sweet!
(Score: 4, Informative) by cngn on Sunday August 24 2014, @10:14PM
The best thing anyone can do is NOT take part at all, shunning evil folk is sometimes the best way to deal with them.
After invading the privacy of not just the people in the UK and citizens of other countries even ones just passing through an airport, I have nothing but disgust for both the GCHQ and the NSA.
They collected data not for intelligence "against their perceived terrorist plots", but made it a new level of government sanctioned voyeurism.
(Score: 2) by zeigerpuppy on Monday August 25 2014, @12:38AM
I disagree, ignoring them won't hurt their feelings.
Winning the competition, getting inside and screwing them over at some faraway date would be a more fitting tribute.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @02:13AM
You don't want to get paid to leak bugs to Tor?
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Monday August 25 2014, @06:17AM
Yeah, this is basically just a way for GCHQ to identify more people to monitor even more closely.
That they are UK citizens is just chocolate frosting on an ice cream cake. It makes it extra delicious.
(Score: 2) by mojo chan on Monday August 25 2014, @11:11AM
I don't think I would be allowed to participate even if I wanted to. I'm outspoken about GCHQ being a bunch of criminals and a quick search of their databases will reveal that. Going to work for them must be like going to work for the the KGB, because they already have all the dirt on you.
It's more ethical to spend your time finding ways to prevent them spying and violating everyone's privacy.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday August 25 2014, @12:28PM
You're failing to factor into the equation general incompetence, and in particular Arse-Elbow Syndrome.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @01:42PM
So you invaded the privacy of not just the people in the UK and citizens of other countries even ones just passing through an airport, and after having done that, you have nothing but disgust for both the GCHQ and the NSA?
That's at least what you wrote. ;-)
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Sunday August 24 2014, @11:23PM
The real talent (in anything practically useful) will get better money outside of a govt work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by tibman on Monday August 25 2014, @01:50AM
Or you can do what you love for the gov legally. I guess you can consider it a benefit. How much does a "get out of jail free" card equate to in dollars? I'm not saying anyone should join up. But just pointing out that money isn't everything : )
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Monday August 25 2014, @02:06AM
Alternatively, for doing what you love and have money, you setup a malware mercenary company [wikipedia.org] and do it legally for any/all the govts in this world willing to pay - you are still legal if you don't hack others.
Some extra care not to be hacked yourself [soylentnews.org] may be advisable, but it doesn't seem such incidents are serious enough to drive you out of business.
Sure, everybody-and-their-dog will hate you for this (except the govts), but if you do what you love, the ethics and the love of others may get a backseat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 25 2014, @03:09AM
a) ignore
b) sign up with them and secretly leak stuff.
Only do b if you're willing to have your life ruined/changed beyond recognition.
(Score: 2) by tomtomtom on Thursday August 28 2014, @11:53AM
Option (c), sign up, solve the thing, and publish your results far and wide. Then they never will know whether anyone who gets through really was any good.