PC Week Labs Challenges Hackers To Crack Web Site

[mea culpa <jericho () DIMENSIONAL COM>]

From: "James J. Capone" <james () ptm com>


http://www.linux.com/newsitem.phtml?sid=1\&aid=4195

PC Week Labs Challenges Hackers To Crack Web Site
Mon, 20 Sep 1999 08:10:30am

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- In a major test of the
security of Linux and Windows NT, PC Week Labs today threw down the
gauntlet to Internet hackers, challenging them to break into a Web site,
http://www.hackpcweek.com, to try to crack each or both of the operating
systems. The site goes live today for a one-month trial.

The site contains near-identical systems, one running Windows NT with
Internet Information Server (IIS) and the other running Red Hat Linux 6.0
with Apache as its web server. PC Week Labs created similar classified-ads
engine applications running on each system. The challenge is to break into
the site, mark up the home page and steal user information from the
classified-ads engine.

"Security is extremely important in the Internet environment and both
Microsoft and the Linux community, via Red Hat, boast that their operating
systems are secure," noted PC Week Labs Director John Taschek.

PC Week Labs will track the number of attempts for each operating system
and report the results in an upcoming issue of PC Week. Additionally, PC
Week will issue a prize to whomever hacks into the site first. The
challenge terminates when the first hacker accomplishes any of the test
challenges.  Winners will receive computer-equipment gift certificates of
up to $1,000.

"Corporations, financial institutions and government agencies are
susceptible from attack via the Internet," Taschek said. He cited figures
from a 1999 survey conducted by the Computer Security Institute and the
FBI indicating that organizations reporting their Internet connection as a
frequent point of attack rose for the third consecutive year to 57 percent
in 1999 from 37 percent in 1996.  Financial losses due to computer
security breaches were reported as exceeding $100 million this year.

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