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AT&T to sponsor DefCon Kids

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 17 Jul 2012 8:05 User comments (2)

AT&T to sponsor DefCon Kids

AT&T has announced it will be sponsor DefCon Kids, a competition for kids to find the most zero-day bugs in mobile apps.
The carrier has teamed up with 11-year old hacker "CyFi," who reported a number of mobile vulnerabilities to the carrier last year.

One such vulnerability, explains DR, was a "'time-travel' flaw in her mobile gaming app that let her move time ahead on the device so she could further progress in the game. That meant she didn't have to wait for things to happen in the game, for example. These bugs affect any app on any mobile tablet and smartphone operating system platform."

Many popular apps have this flaw and the app developers have not yet fixed it, despite having a year to do so.

Whoever discovers the most bugs during the competition will get a new iPad and $1,000.



The event will be held alongside the adult DefCon from July 27 to 29 and also includes sponsoring from the National Security Agency (NSA), the Defense Department, AllClear ID, HacKid, Max Kelly, and the EFF.

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2 user comments

118.7.2012 11:27

And from out of the mouths of babes... only moronic kids would attempt these 'contests'. Does anyone remember the last 'contest'? It was a flytrap for the unwittingly to get stuck in, just like one of those 'lottery' stings the police pull every now & then we hear about when they try to clear the books of all kinds of criminal malfeasance.

Everything from accrued parking tickets to assault charges, they take out adds in all the mediums about lottery wins & if your name shows up - come in & claim your prize. A new set of cuffs & whatever outstanding warrant awaits your ass.

I mean let's be seriously honest here people... DoD & the NSA are just a couple of the sponsors? Not that my kids aren't already in the headlights of one government agency or another, but to make doubly sure they've got reflective vests on & can be seen from 1K yards away?

Talk about painting a target on your back.

219.7.2012 04:05

Definitely not worth an ipad and a thousand bucks.

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