Pwn2Own Toronto 2023 is a new edition hacking competition most important in the world. Hosted by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), it was launched in a Canadian city with the stated goal, as in previous editions, find critical vulnerabilities in a controlled environment for providers to improve the security of their developments before they can be exploited.

Participants agree to deliver all research privately and not disclose it for a minimum of 90 days. In return, participating companies deliver juicy prizes. Good investment considering that the event features the best white hat hackers on the planet and security researchers who anticipate what may come from cybercrime and strengthen software and device security.

Pwn2Own Toronto 2023, mobiles and much more

Printers, routers, NAS, digital home devices, surveillance systems, smart assistants, watches, streamers… much of the electronics supply They are on the list of potential hacks, although this year the action targets smartphones, Apple iPhone 14, Google Pixel 7, Samsung Galaxy S23 or Xiaomi 13 Pro. All are tested in their default configuration and updated to the latest version available.

And today, the contest is much more than just an annual record of the state of web browsers and operating system security, as it was in its early days. In the first two days of the competition, all types of devices were hacked, although the Galaxy S23 was the most notable in the media. The highlight of the Samsung smartphone catalog was hacked by several teams with 0-day attacks that exploited unknown vulnerabilities.

Organizations and sponsors have already paid out more than $800,000 in prizes in the first two days and expected to exceed one million. There is $300,000 for hacking the iPhone 14 and $250,000 for the Pixel 7. Successful exploits on Google and Apple devices will also have a $50,000 bonus if exploited with kernel-level permissions.

we repeat. Good investment. Security researchers win rich prizes, and companies can learn about vulnerabilities in their products before cybercriminals exploit them. We also benefit the entire community by strengthening the security of our devices.

In case this type of hacking competition appeals to you, detailed information about the competition schedule can be found at official website. The results of each challenge are available on this page, as well as the score of the team that takes the title Master PWN. With regard to There is no such thing as “invulnerable” softwarewe hope few can resist the best hackers on the planet.