Privacy, Security & Virus Information

Google realise that if you can't beat them, you employ them

Eyebrows were raised throughout the global internet community recently when the news broke that global giant Google had set up a special department that will employ (hopefully) retired and reformed computer hackers.

The move, while controversial, is also extremely logical as according to Google, it will allow the company to be alerted to potential and actual security vulnerabilities in the information juggernaut's many Web applications.

Google haven't got so big so fast by spreading their money around without thinking too much about what they will get back in return For that reason, only hackers (or security researchers as Google prefer to call them) who succeed in discovering a security flaw in one of Google's applications with Gmail, Blogger and YouTube being the most prominent, will be paid a sum, of between $500 and just over $3,000.00. And just to prove it's not all about nickels and dimes at Google, and reformed hacker who chooses to donate his discovery fee to charity, will have their "donation" matched one hundred percent by the company. Those hackers who are in need of further "self cleaning" can even have a mention on Google's security page.

Sources report that Google's move to find and recruit hacker turncoats is not new, as they have done something fairly similar with their Chrome Web browser, as have rival Mozilla with their Firefox bounty program. Till now there have be no reports that either Microsoft or Adobe will be taking in some reformed cyber crooks.

What Google's actions do prove is that computer hacking is a serious problem that can seriously affect anybody and any action is acceptable in order to curtail it. Entering into a hacker's psyche is a nothing to lose step, although it is doubtful whether the serious web pirates will sell themselves out for a few hundred bucks or a chance to donate to a charity of their choice.

Instead they will continue to sit in the shadows of cyber space waiting for an opportunity to pounce. The only really fool proof method that a computer owner who needs to protect his information can use is to install a powerful anti-virus software available on the market. And if you could ever get any of them to own up to it, you might even discover that some of the World's leading anti virus software companies have a few employees with a past that is less than pure.

 

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