Wiz Launches $4.5 Million Cloud Hacking Competition with Major Tech Partners

What's Happening?

Cloud security company Wiz has announced a new hacking competition, Zeroday.Cloud, offering a total of $4.5 million in bug bounties. The competition invites security researchers to demonstrate exploits against widely used cloud software. Participants must submit their entries by December 1, with live demonstrations scheduled for the Black Hat Europe conference on December 10-11 in London. Wiz has partnered with major tech companies AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft for this event. The competition covers six categories, including AI, Kubernetes, containers, web servers, databases, and DevOps software. Prizes range from $10,000 to $300,000, depending on the category and the severity of the exploit. Notably, Google has announced plans to acquire Wiz for $32 billion. However, the competition has faced some controversy, with Trend Micro accusing Wiz of copying sections of its rules from the Pwn2Own competition.

Why It's Important?

The Zeroday.Cloud competition highlights the growing importance of cloud security as more businesses rely on cloud services. By incentivizing researchers to find vulnerabilities, Wiz and its partners aim to enhance the security of cloud platforms, which are critical to modern business operations. The significant prize pool underscores the value placed on cybersecurity expertise and the need for robust defenses against potential threats. The involvement of major tech companies like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft indicates a collaborative effort to address security challenges in the cloud. However, the controversy with Trend Micro suggests competitive tensions in the cybersecurity industry, particularly regarding intellectual property and competition rules.

What's Next?

As the competition progresses, it will be important to monitor the types of vulnerabilities discovered and how they are addressed by the involved companies. The results could lead to improved security measures and updates for cloud services, benefiting users worldwide. Additionally, the acquisition of Wiz by Google may influence future collaborations and investments in cloud security. The controversy with Trend Micro may also lead to discussions about the ethics and originality of competition rules in the cybersecurity field.