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The ultimate test of wits in computer security occurs through open competition on the global Capture the Flag (CTF) tournament circuit. In CTF contests, experts reverse-engineer software, probe its weaknesses, search for deeply hidden flaws and create securely patched replacements.

What if a purpose-built computer systems could compete against the CTF circuit's greatest experts? DARPA has modeled the Cyber Grand Challenge on today's CTF tournaments to pave the way toward that future.

On August 4th, 2016, DARPA will hold the world's first all-computer Capture the Flag tournament in Las Vegas. Seven prototype systems will square off against each other, competing for nearly $4 million in prizes in a live network competition. The CGC Final Event will take place in conjunction with DEF CON, home of the longest-running annual CTF competition.

To learn more about the Cyber Grand Challenge, explore this site and visit DARPA's official CGC homepage, CGC Final Event announcement and CGC news articles.

The Internet revolution began on the desktop, and as computers grew up, malware did too. Malware can attack our data and our privacy, but fortunately, it's been stuck on the desktop for decades.Now, however, the place of networked computers in our world is changing.

What started out as a network of information appliances is turning into a global internetwork of smart devices.From cars that drive us to work on their own to devices that help us manage our homes, networked computers are now being relied upon to perform the heavy lifting of civilization.

Computers are on track to mediate our reality, change the way we interact, and become part of our human organism.This change raises a critical question: are today's networked computers safe enough to trust with this responsibility?

There are benefits and advantages to the connected society we are building. But we are building this connected society on top of a computing infrastructure we haven't learned to secure.

There's evidence to show that while digital insecurity is growing, it is also making its way into devices we can't afford to doubt.

Some of the hardest problems in computer security are the basis of a global competition between experts: Capture the Flag. Cyber Grand Challenge has adopted this format, challenging fully automated systems to reverse-engineer unknown software, then locate and heal its weaknesses in a live network competition.

Cyber Grand Challenge seeks to someday make software safety the expert domain of machines.

The Internet of Things