What a GREAT idea! The CanSecWest Vancouver 2008 conference is holding a competition at next month's conference to set loose ethical hackers on Windows Vista, Mac Leopard OS X and Linux. The contest is to see which machined can be "owned" the fastest. Did I say I love this idea? Yea, baby -- bring it on.
What a great way to put your money, and your operating system bravado, where your mouth is. Through this competition we'll really find out which operating system truly can be hacked in the shortest period of time. Frankly, I'd put a whole lot more trust into the results of this type of a competition than all the marketing spin, operating system zealotry, and blogosphere bluster all of us put out about which is the most secure operating system.
Last year's competition at this conference netted in a PWN'd MacBook, flying in the face of Apple's baloney marketing that the Mac was so secure. The vulnerability used to exploit the MacBook turned out to be an Apple QuickTime media player problem which affected Windows IE browser and the Safari browser on the Mac.
Let me caution everyone, though. This contest won't resolve anything. This contest result is only one data point. And, no matter who the winner is (or loser depending on how you choose to look at it), defenders of their respective OS will still rebuke the results and claims made by others. The competition rules and process will be debated. Skills sets, or lack of them, of the hacker participants will be blamed and deemed not worthy.
I hope what this really does is begin a series of similar competitions between OSs. Over the period of several competitions we'll begin to see which OSs emerge more favorably than others.
So now, it's your turn. Cast your vote and make your case why your favorite OS will come out on top, leaving the others down for the count.
Lets hear from you. Make your views known. Comment here.
Who will get owned first - Windows Vista? Mac Leopard OS X? Linux?
Related Link: Can Contests End The OS Security Debate?
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Mitchell Ashley is CEO and Chief Strategist of Converging Network, LLC, providing product and technology strategies to emerging technology companies. A serial entrepreneur, Mitchell has created many successful products and services in the networking, security, convergence, Internet and IT industries. In addition to blogging for NetworkWorld, Mitchell regularly blogs at TheConvergingNetwork and co-hosts the widely popular Still Crazy After All These Years podcast.
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Independent Voice for Microsoft Customers??
Maybe it should be noted that the MacBook wasn't hacked on the first day of the competition and that it was only hacked AFTER the organizers had to relax the rules so that it could be done . . . you keep moving the goal line closer and closer, and eventually you're going to score. Did you move the ball?? no, but who can tell if you don't report the facts. Once again sloppy journalism from another Microshaft cheerleader.