The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is hosting a prize competition that challenges the public to create a technical solution (“tool”) that consumers can use to guard against security vulnerabilities in software found on the Internet of Things (IoT) devices in their homes.
The tool would, at a minimum, help protect consumers from security vulnerabilities caused by out-of-date software. Contestants have the option of adding features, such as those that would address hard-coded, factory default or easy-to-guess passwords.
The prize for the competition is up to $25,000, with $3,000 available for each honorable mention winner(s). Winners will be announced on or about July 27, 2017.