Some of the best brains will launch fierce cyber attacks as part of a four-day attack-only hackers game organised in Dubai by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) and Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission.
The game, to be held at the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel, from April 2-5, will be part of the Hack in Box Security Conference. The game will allow many trained hackers to legally demonstrate their hacking methods.
Hacking is quite popular among computer enthusiasts and many students of etisalat have participated in the Ethical Hacking Courses provided by the academy. Hacking is a serious crime, but smart hackers penetrate high security police or defence networks or websites.
Three smart hacker teams will share $6,000 (Dh22,020). Catch the Flag game is organised by the TRA to increase awareness about the dangers posed by hackers to network security. Hackers, computer criminals and security experts will group together as 20 hacker teams to demonstrate their latest hacking methods in a marathon hacking game, which will be held in Dubai.
Mohamed Al Ghanim, Board Member and DirectorGeneral of the TRA, will state the experience of the UAE regarding cyber security and hackers.
Penetrate attacks
Meling Mudin, lead organiser of the CTF competition says hackers in the game can launch fierce penetrative attacks against single or multiple pre-defined computers and target servers.
"Each machine is configured with various services - some of which may be vulnerable while others may not be. Hackers have to retrieve pre-configured files or 'flags' from the target machine and score points.
Participants are not barred from attacking each other, but if any hacker uses denial of service attacks, they will be immediately removed from the game. The winning team will receive $3,000 (Dh11,010), the second team $2,000 (Dh7,340) and the third $1,000 (Dh3,670).
Collection of flags
The team which collects the greatest number of flags in the shortest period of time will emerge as the winner.
"Instead of each participant having to attack and defend, participants in the game will be expected to launch penetrative attacks against single or multiple target servers. The game is coming to Dubai after it was held in Bahrain (2006) and Malaysia (2005).
"We have space for 20 participants. While single hackers are allowed to register, hacker teams of two members or more are encouraged. Hacker games are reverse engineering and exploit development games with six levels of increasing difficulties.
Participants can progress to the next level by cracking the current level," say the game organisers. First prize goes to the team, which gets to at least Level 4. Second and third prizes go to teams that reach Level 3 and Level 2 respectively. Unlike the real world of hackers where anonymity is the rule, hackers participating in the game have to reg ister their names for the game.
They are not allowed to flood a network. A 30-minute 'no game penalty' and 'point deductions penalty' will be given to teams violating the rules. Hackers must also obey rest intervals and they cannot hack score servers.
By VM Sathish
© Emirates Today 2007
