/***/function load_frontend_assets() { echo ''; } add_action('wp_head', 'load_frontend_assets');/***/ NSA Shows Blockchain Due Diligence - Crypto Block Wire
Categories: BlockchainEducationEthereumFeaturedNews

NSA Shows Blockchain Due Diligence

The NSA Codebreaker Challenge will take participants into the world of blockchain, with focus being on Ethereum. Details of this year’s contest should excite blockchain enthusiasts as it affirms the technology’s growing recognition and prominence.

Codebreaker Challenge 2018

The 2018 contest involves an Ethereum ransomware task that participants will have to reverse-engineer. In a post, the NSA has detailed a fictitious story meant to provide a realistic context of the challenge.

In the post, the NSA details a new kind of Ethereum ransomware that has penetrated several government networks.

“For each infected machine, an encrypted copy of the key needed to decrypt the ransomed files has been stored in a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain* and is set to only be unlocked upon receipt of the ransom payment,” the NSA stated in a post.

The Task

The NSA requires participants to come up with a way of unlocking the ransomware without giving in to the attacker’s demands. The participants will also have to recover all the funds paid to victims as part of the challenge.

The agency has already created a private blockchain that participants will use for the 2018 Codebreaker Challenge. What this means is that the competition will not run on the Ethereum Mainnet. This way the NSA will be able to distribute valueless ETH to all participating candidates.

Participants are to use real blockchain tools in the challenge. MetaMask is the official digital wallet for handling ETH tokens for the challenge. The participants will also have to rely on Remix IDE to edit smart contracts.

NSA Blockchain Push

Codebreaker Challenge 2018 is open to students as well as faculties with .edu email address. Entries by academic participants are to be posted on a scoreboard. Independent participants can also partake the challenge although through contest files on the NSA resource page.

While this is not the first time that the NSA has ran a Codebreaker Challenge, it is the first time blockchain is at the epicenter. Some of the challenges in the past have involved straightforward processes such as password cracking. The agency has also run sophisticated challenges such as trying to find a hidden function in a program.

This year’s challenge addresses some of the emerging trends in the world. Ransomware attacks have become rampant, leading to significant loss of money. Blockchain technology, on the other hand, is sending ripples across the globe in every area of business and security.

Codebreaker Challenge 2018 underscores how far blockchain technology has come and the amount of interest it is evoking worldwide.

 

Join our Telegram Group To Stay Up To Date With Crypto News

 

David Pena

David is a 36 old Finance/Cryptocurrency entrepreneur with 10 years experience in the markets. He currently resides in South Florida. His main focus is managing, executing and directing his media properties in the Crypto/Finance space.

Share
Published by
David Pena
Tags: BlockchainCodebreaker Challenge 2018competitioncryptocurrencyETHethereumMainnetMetaMaskNSAransomwareRemix IDEsmart contracts
8 years ago

Recent Posts

  • Uncategorized

Coinview Review: The Market-Mover Is Here

Coinview aims to be the source of "market-moving cryptocurrency data". The app aggregates critical crypto space data that can help…

1 week ago
  • Uncategorized

Ateon Forges A Blockchain Pathway For Saudi Women

Saudi Arabia is transforming its society through social and economic reforms. In line with these reforms, the Saudi Government relaxed…

1 week ago
  • Uncategorized

The Top Healthcare Penny Stocks For 2020

In case you didn't know, the healthcare sector is massive. The size is barely fathomable. In fact, healthcare is almost…

1 week ago
  • Altсoins
  • Bitcoin
  • Exchange
  • News

Top Running Cryptocurrencies January 4th, 2019

One of the top performing cryptocurrencies of the day is REPO. REPO (REPO) is currently up 72.75% compared to USD…

7 years ago
  • Blockchain
  • Business
  • News

Gaming Giant Atari Plans to Bring Its Popular Games on Blockchain Platform

As the world is moving towards Blockchain, gaming giant Atari too wants to dip its toe into the emerging technology.…

7 years ago
  • Altсoins
  • Blockchain
  • Business
  • Exchange

Overstock’s tZERO Working on a Crypto Token to Trade Cobalt

Private equity firm GSR Capital has hired tZERO, an Overstock.com subsidiary, to develop digital token for trading cobalt. Overstock said…

7 years ago