Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said recently that the Department of Defense (DoD) will invite computer specialists next month to try and hack into the DoD's public websites.
The “Hack the Pentagon” program is the first of its kind in the federal government, Cook said.
First created in 1995 by Jarrett Ridlinghafer of Netscape, "bug bounty programs" are a chance for software companies to provide invited hackers with rewards if they find any bugs or insights into the ways the companies can be hacked. Bugsheet.com lists similar programs at companies such as Adobe, Amazon, Twitter and Sony.
To participate, hackers must pass a background check. The DoD then will give the hired hackers access to department webpages. “The bug bounty program is modeled after similar competitions conducted by some of the nation's biggest companies to improve the security and delivery of networks, products and digital services,” Cook said.
Hack the Pentagon dovetails with Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s efforts to make the Pentagon more cyber-secure through the administration’s Cyber National Action Plan. A senior defense official who did not want to be identified explained the ultimate goals.
"We see this growing into something that we can use as a broader tool to help make our systems and our services more secure, not only for the Department of Defense, but across the federal government," the official said.
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