The Pentagon invites hackers to give it their best shot

Logan Nye
Apr 2, 2018 9:39 AM PDT
1 minute read
The Pentagon invites hackers to give it their best shot

SUMMARY

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that they need hackers to attack the Pentagon’s digital systems in order to identify weak points and train how to respond,

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that they need hackers to attack the Pentagon's digital systems in order to identify weak points and train how to respond, according to Reuters.


Photo: US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway

"I am confident that this innovative initiative will strengthen our digital defenses and ultimately enhance our national security," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.

Hackers who participate may even be awarded monetary prizes, but there are a few rules. Hackers must be U.S. citizens, they must be vetted experts in computer hacking, and they must register their intent to test the systems.

Also, the Pentagon has identified certain public-facing computer systems to be tested. Hackers who attempt to access any other systems, presumably all the sensitive ones that control classified data or nuclear weapons, would still be subject to criminal charges.

"The goal is not to comprise any aspect of our critical systems, but to still challenge our cybersecurity in a new and innovative way," a defense official told Reuters.

Inviting hackers to attack a network has been done before in the commercial sector, but this is a first for the Pentagon. Typically, the Pentagon tests its systems by establishing "red teams" composed of Department of Defense employees who attack the system rather than recruiting hordes of outsiders.

(h/t Gizmodo)

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