Pwn2Own 2015: New rules, prizes, and potential problems

If you intend to participate in the Pwn2Own competition at the CanSecWest 2015 conference on March 18 and 19 in Vancouver, Canada, you would do well to consult with a legal advisor first.

According to The Register, aspiring participants have been warned by the organizators – HP’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) – to check with their lawyers whether they need an export authorization for the exploits they will create for the contest and whether they will need to notify their government about the matter.

“Exploits are export controlled items and participants should work with their legal counsel on proper handling,” the email warned according to Chaouki Bekrar, CEO of Vupen, whose teams have repeatedly taken part in the competition over the years.

The advice has been meted out due to increasing concerns regarding the scope of the Wassenaar Arrangement, as raised by the Chaos Computer Club in January.

ZDI has already published the rules of this year’s contest – there are some changes from last year as per usual – and registration and prize information.