Summercon Foundation to Issue Grants for Hacking Research
NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Through its partnership with Capsule8 and Trail of Bits, the Summercon Foundation is now accepting proposals for the Summercon Fellowship, a pair of research grants to give independent security researchers the opportunity to work on projects outside of a corporate or academic environment. Recipients of grants will be awarded $10,000 towards hacking research and invited to present their findings at the 2019 edition of Summercon on June 14-15 in Brooklyn, NY. The Summercon Speaker Selection Committee, assisted by two evaluators each from Capsule8 and Trail of Bits, will choose the recipients of the grants through a refereed process. At least 50% of the grants have been reserved for marginalized, female-identifying, transgender, and non-binary candidates.
Grant applications for the Summercon Fellowship may be submitted to https://summercon19grants.hotcrp.com.
"We are excited beyond belief about our partnerships with Trail of Bits and Capsule8," said Mark Trumpbour, Executive Director of Summercon. "They recognize the value of independent inquiry to the entire infosec ecosystem, and their long-term commitment to the Summercon Fellowship will make a tangible difference in advancing the frontiers of security research."
The Summercon Foundation research grants were the idea of Chris Valasek, Chairman Emeritus of Summercon. "I thought about how much latitude I was given by a grant from the DARPA Cyber Fast Track program, and how impactful that work ultimately was to the community as a whole. I had a strong desire to give back to the hacking community, and these grants felt right." Mr. Valasek's work in automotive security research has been widely publicized, culminating in the recall of 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles due to the presence of a vulnerability in the UConnect infotainment system he identified with research partner Charlie Miller.
This year's grant recipients will be announced by early February 2019.
About Summercon
The Summercon Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to advancing hacking research through direct discourse between leaders in the infosec world. Summercon is America's longest running hacker conference, with a technical focus on offense as a way of bolstering defense. It set a precedent for other conferences such as H.O.P.E. and DEF CON, but where these events have become less intimate, Summercon maintains a focus on direct personal interaction between its attendees.
About Capsule8
Founded in fall 2016 and headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, Capsule8 is developing the industry's first and only real-time, zero-day attack detection platform purpose-built for modern production environments. Founded by experienced hackers and seasoned security entrepreneurs, and funded by Bessemer Venture Partners and ClearSky, Capsule8 is making it possible for Linux-powered enterprises to modernize without compromise. Learn more at www.Capsule8.com.
About Trail of Bits
Trail of Bits is a New York-based security research and engineering services firm that helps secure some of the world's most targeted organizations and products. Founded in 2012 by three expert hackers, the company combines high-end security research with a real-world attacker mentality to reduce risk and fortify code. For clientele, ranging from Facebook to DARPA, Trail of Bits offers high-assurance custom software development, low-level software security assessments, and applied software security research. Learn more at https://www.trailofbits.com/
https://summercon19grants.hotcrp.com/
The Summercon Fellowship provides monetary support and mentorship for great security research ideas. Funding for this program has been donated by Trail of Bits and Capsule8.
Awarded fellows will receive:
- $10,000 grant to fund a six-month security research project
- Dedicated research mentoring from a security engineer at Trail of Bits or Capsule8
- An invitation to present findings at Summercon (presenting is a condition of the grant)
The Fellowship seeks to bolster inclusion in the security industry. 50% of the program spots are reserved for marginalized, people of color, female-identifying, transgender, and non-binary candidates. Applicants of all genders, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities are encouraged to apply.
SOURCE Trail of Bits; The Summercon Foundation Inc.
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