BlueHat (or Blue Hat or Blue-Hat) is a term used to refer to outside
computer security
Computer security (also cybersecurity, digital security, or information technology (IT) security) is a subdiscipline within the field of information security. It consists of the protection of computer software, systems and computer network, n ...
consulting firms that are employed to
bug test a system prior to its launch, looking for
exploits so they can be closed. Their role involves searching for weaknesses or security gaps that could be exploited, and their aim is to rectify and close these potential vulnerabilities prior to a product or system launch. In particular,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
uses the term to refer to the computer security professionals they invited to find the vulnerability of their products, such as
Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
.
Blue Hat Microsoft Hacker Conference
The Blue Hat Microsoft Hacker
Conference
A conference is a meeting, often lasting a few days, which is organized on a particular subject, or to bring together people who have a common interest. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always d ...
is an invitation-only conference created by
Window Snyder that is intended to open communication between
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
engineers and
hackers
A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who achieves goals and solves problems by non-standard means. The term has become associated in popular culture with a security hackersomeone with knowledge of bugs or exploits to break ...
. The event has led to both mutual understanding and the occasional confrontation. Microsoft's developers were visibly uncomfortable when
Metasploit
The Metasploit Project is a computer security project that provides information about security vulnerabilities and aids in penetration testing and IDS signature development. It is owned by Boston, Massachusetts-based security company, Rapid7.
...
was demonstrated.
cNet news
- Ina Fried (staff writer)
See also
*Hacker culture
The hacker culture is a subculture of individuals who enjoy—often in collective effort—the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming the limitations of software systems or electronic hardware (mostly digital electronics), ...
*Hacker ethic
The hacker ethic is a philosophy and set of moral values within hacker culture. Practitioners believe that sharing information and data with others is an ethical imperative. The hacker ethic is related to the concept of freedom of information ...
*Black hat hacker
A black hat (black hat hacker or blackhat) is a computer hacker who violates laws or ethical standards for nefarious purposes, such as cybercrime, cyberwarfare, or malice. These acts can range from piracy to identity theft. A black hat is often r ...
* White hat
*Grey hat
A grey hat (greyhat or gray hat) is a computer hacker or computer security expert who may sometimes violate laws or typical ethical standards, but usually does not have the malicious intent typical of a black hat hacker.
The term came into u ...
References
External links
Microsoft's BlueHat Security Briefings
BlueHat Security Briefings Blog
BlueHat Security
Homeland Security Consultants
FedRAMP
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Microsoft culture
Hacking (computer security)
Cybersecurity engineering