In an attempt to prove to its customers that Net commerce is safe, a Vancouver, British Columbia, Web development house is offering US$7,500 to the first hacker who can crack its server. But despite the attacks that its Web site is now enduring from money-hungry hackers, VirTech Communications is convinced that its money will stay securely in the bank.
"Companies always say that the Internet isn't secure, because it's been so exaggerated by traditional media," explains VirTech director of operations Franz Susilo. "We want to change the notion that the Internet is prone to credit card snatching."
Following in the footsteps of two similar contests in Sweden and the US, VirTech has put its Mac Web server up for grabs: The first person to crack the password-protected page, grab a credit card number with a four-digit verification code, and change the phrase on the page will win themselves the prize money. Just as the past contests ended without a hack, Susilo also believes that his server is safe.
From 28 May, the day the contest was announced, the site has witnessed about 3,500 hits a day - which VirTech believes translates into 15 or 20 actual hackers. Although VirTech's site hasn't been cracked yet, the page was down on Tuesday as the victim of two synflood attacks. Company engineers are currently working to hunt down the source of these attacks, which are essentially attempts to overload the server by a barrage of requests.
"We were expecting this," says Susilo. "They are desperate: They can't crack the server, so they'll crash it instead."
