Microsoft is offering a bounty of $100,000 to anyone who can hack its custom Linux OS. According to a report from The Verge, a compact and custom version of Linux was built by the software giant last year for its Azure Sphere OS which is developed for its Internet of Things (IoT) platform. Azure Sphere OS is specifically designed to run on specialized chips.
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According to Microsoft's website, the Azure Sphere, a secure and high-level application platform with built-in security features for internet-connected devices and communication, is a combination of secure, connected, crossover microcontroller unit (MCU), a cloud-based security service that provides continuous renewable security, and a custom high-level Linux-based operating system (OS).
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The main goal of the Azure Sphere is to allow price-sensitive, microcontroller-powered devices reliably and safely connect to the internet, by providing high-value security at a low cost. Linux OS is purposedly developed for the Azure Sphere platform to ensure apps and basic services run isolated in a sandbox for security purposes.
Are you up for the challenge? Microsoft will reward $100,000 to hackers who can breach Linux OS; Here are the things you need to know
According to The Verge, Microsoft will test the security of Azure Sphere OS by letting hackers breach the Pluton security system or Secure World sandbox, and reward anyone who can successfully hack it with $100,000.
The bug bounty program will run from June 1 until August 31, which is a part of the three-month research program.
"We will award up to $100,000 bounty for specific scenarios in the Azure Sphere Security Research Challenge during the program period," explained Sylvie Liu, a security program manager at Microsoft's Security Response Center.
Azure Sphere OS will be the main focus of the challenge and not the underlying cloud portion which is already eligible for Azure bounty program rewards. Microsoft will be looking for a team of security researchers who can apply to be part of the challenge who have the ability and skills to break the security of Linux OS; physical attacks are out of scope.
The challenge is still relatively new since it was just announced by Azure Sphere at last year's Build developer conference. Azure Sphere will be deployed to businesses such as Starbucks to secure the store equipment used to feedback data points on the coffee temperature, types of beans, and water quality for every shot of espresso.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, described the cloud business of the company as the biggest hardware business earlier this year, and sees IoT devices as a key area for Microsoft. Nadella is currently gathering billions of IoT devices that can be used over the following decades.
