Matrix Cup: $2.75M Cyber Hacking Contest

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Headlines

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has designated Royal Tiger, a robocalling scammer, as the first-ever Consumer Communication Information Services Threat (C-CIST). Royal Tiger has been accused of defrauding consumers through illegal robocalls, impersonating government agencies, banks, and utility companies, and offering fraudulent services. The organization operates in multiple countries and is led by Prince Jashvantlal Anand and Kaushal Bhavsar, who are linked to entities like Illum Telecommunication and PZ Telecommunication.

The brand new C-CIST classification aims to enhance coordination among law enforcement and industry stakeholders to address sophisticated fraud tactics, such as AI voice-cloning and spoofing.

The Matrix Cup is an upcoming Chinese hacking contest with a prize pool of $2.75 million. Contestants will vie for enormous cash prizes by targeting major operating systems, smartphone brands, a slew of enterprise products, networking devices, and cybersecurity products.

Called “the Eastern hemisphere’s top cybersecurity competition,” organizers hope it will reveal vulnerabilities and increase the overall security of the products involved. The Matrix Cup will take place June 26-28, with more information upcoming.

VC firm Accel said Tuesday that it raised $650 million for European and Isreali companies focused on AI and cybersecurity. The fund is Accel’s eighth across a 24-year period, and the firm has funded over 200 companies, 100 of which they are still invested in. The fund will likely have a lifespan of about 12 years and invest in 25 to 30 companies, according to partner Harry Nelis.

They’ve found success in the past with early investments in Meta, Dropbox, Deliveroo, and Spotify. As AI presents itself as the major platform shift over the next 10 years, they are looking to emphasize bets in this space.

Interesting Read

Will Hackers find zero-day vulnerabilities and turn them into cash—but how? In this article for Cybernews, Niamh Ancell describes the market where threat actors (along with governments and corporations) go to buy and sell crucial information. The seedy underworld described is a reminder of how pervasive cyber threats are in today’s world.

Interestingly, there is also the rising world of zero-day bounties, where corporations try to pay hackers for their work. It’s a way to discover vulnerabilities, but can it ever match the sums offered on the black market? This is only one of the interesting considerations this fascinating article brings to mind.

Cybersecurity Career Opportunities

Employment Tip: Build Communication Skills

Like almost any profession, cybersecurity requires great communication skills to rise to the top. Communicating information to non-technical stakeholders is essential, especially if you can respectfully describe the urgency and full scope of the work you do.

For the latest openings in cybersecurity careers, check CybersecurityHQ.

Stay Safe, Stay Secure.

The CybersecurityHQ Team