If you’re not familiar with Pwn2Own, it’s a hacker contest of sorts where computer experts try their best to hack into a device, exploit a security vulnerability. The prizes are not only the device (hence the name), but cold, hard cash as well. This year at Pwn2Own 2011, the Nexus S will be representing Android. We’ll see how it will fare against the iPhone, Blackberry and Windows 7 Phone. Last year the Nexus One held its own against hackers as the Pwn2Own contest. But I’m sure you’ve all heard of various vulnerabilities in Android.
A successful attack against these devices must require little to no user interaction and must compromise useful data from the phone. Any attack that can incur cost upon the owner of the device (such as silently calling long-distance numbers, eavesdropping on conversations, and so forth) is within scope.
In addition to the Nexus S, Google is also offering $20,000 and a CR-48 laptop to anyone that can hack the Chrome browser. Strangely enough, Chrome won’t be running on the CR-48 at the time.
For full details go visit the DV Labs blog.
