Microsoft announced $0.25 million Bluehat prize contest for security researchers who will design a novel runtime mitigation technology designed to prevent the exploitation of memory safety vulnerabilities. The solution considered to be the most innovative by the Microsoft BlueHat Prize board will be presented the grand prize of US $200,000. Contest winners will retain the intellectual rights to their invention, but must license it to Microsoft on a royalty-free basis. Microsoft employees will decide the winners. Microsoft security contest ends on April 1, 2012. Winners will be announced at at Black Hat USA 2012. How to participate in the contest: Security researchers should send their entries to bluehatprize@microsoft.com  Microsoft contest prizes: First prize: $ 0.2 million Second prize: $ 50,000 Third prize: Subscription to Microsoft's developer network worth $ 10,000. Who can participate in the contest? 1.You are a professional or hobbyist in the field of software security and are 14 years of age or older. 2. You are not a resident of any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. 3. You are not an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary. 4. You are not involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest. 5. You are not an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest. Click here to participate in the Microsoft security contest.  … [Read more...]