Are robots secure? To answer this question with facts and evidence, Alias Robotics has created the first Robotics CTF, a "browser available game" that challenges hackers to test simulated robot security. The RCTF was presented at ROSCon 2018, in Madrid.
“The aim is to show how vulnerable robots are, and to use hacker-powered security on robots”” states David Mayoral Vilches, co-founder and CEO of Alias Robotics.
CTFs or Capture the Flag challenges are common in the ethical hacking community, and are used to acquire new technical security competences and to test the abilities of hackers through different challenges. The young startup based in Vitoria (northern Spain), has decided to go further and use this method to test the security of robots in a virtual format.
"Robots are exposed to the internet and can be attacked from anywhere" Mayoral asserts . “The attack surface in robotics is massive”.
Launched in February 2018 and formed by robotics security experts, the basque cybersecurity start-up has managed to position as a reference in the field due to its unique focus and expertise Alias Robotics has published research with top cybersecurity organizations and has been selected recently as one of the winners of the European startup acceleration program focused on robotics, Robot Union.
For its pioneering work in robot security, Alias Robotics has been chosen among the world’s 100 best startups presenting in the South Summit event, this year.