Worldwide Entries Open: Microsoft Cybersecurity 2020 Student Essay Contest ($5,000 top prize | international)

Deadline: 14 June 2013

Are you a student with great ideas on the future of cyber security policy? Have you conducted research on how to measure the security impact of policies around the world? If so, read on for how you can win $5,000 cash for your research in this essay contest.

OVERVIEW:

Cybersecurity is a policy priority for many governments but there is limited understanding of whether and how policy choices impact cyber risk outcomes. While many countries have made significant investments in the development and implementation of cybersecurity policy regimes, cybercriminals continue to make headway. With that in mind, policymakers are left to question the impact of their policy investments. Given this unknown, many policymakers have struggled to choose policies that will have the greatest positive outcome in managing cyber risk.

At the same time, the cyber ecosystem is undergoing tremendous change. The growth in Internet users across Asia, Africa, and Latin America; the proliferation of connected devices; and the explosive rise in Internet traffic are just a few of the mega-trends reshaping the Internet. Accordingly, regardless of today’s policy challenges and solutions, tomorrow’s landscape is likely to present new risks and opportunities.

WHAT IS THE CONTEST?

Microsoft is looking for original research about these cybersecurity policy challenges from university students at any stage in their educational development. Specifically, research should address one or both of the following questions; in both instances, preference will be given to responses that integrate quantitative analysis using publically-available cybersecurity data and research, such as the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR):

• Which cybersecurity policy choices have the most impact on cybersecurity outcomes and, based upon your answer, are there “actionable” recommendations for policymakers?
• For example, have national-level regimes for securing government networks had a meaningful impact on cybersecurity? How might those regimes be improved?
• Additionally, for example, can cybersecurity policies impact user-level security? And if so, how?
• Given the growth in people, devices, and data connected to the Internet, how should policymakers adapt current approaches, and are there elements missing from the current policy landscape that should be created, or existing instruments that should be deprecated?
• For example, many global-level cybersecurity policy regimes were created when most Internet users were based on North America and Europe; will the rise in Internet users in Asia, Africa, and Latin America require changes to these regimes?
• Additionally, for example, cybersecurity policies have been optimized for a desktop-centric world, where the computing machine, their operating systems, and often their users were fixed within a geography. What changes are necessary to accommodate a more mobile-based world?

WHAT PRIZES ARE OFFERED?

Microsoft will award cash prizes for the top three essays according to the judging criteria:

• 1st place - $5,000
• 2nd place - $3,000
• 3rd place - $2,000

HOW DO I ENTER?

To enter, send an email to cyber-essay@microsoft.com with your essay in Microsoft Word format. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) on June 14, 2013.

OFFICIAL RULES:

This Contest is hosted in the United States, and entry information is collected on computers in the United States. This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Contest. If you do not agree with this provision and these Official Rules, please do not enter this Contest.

Contest description:

This is a skill-based Contest. The object of this contest is to bring to light innovative research about the future of cyber security policies worldwide via an essay. All eligible entries received will be judged using the criteria described below to determine the winners of the prizes described below.

What are the start and end dates? 

This Contest starts at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on March 21, 2013, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on June 14, 2013 (“Entry Period”).

Can I enter? 

You are eligible to enter this Contest if you meet the following requirements at time entry:

• You are 18 years of age or older and are actively enrolled as a student at an accredited educational institution that grants college/university (or equivalent) degrees at any time between March 21, 2013 and June 14, 2013 OR you graduated from an accredited educational institution that grants college/university (or equivalent) degrees between March 21, 2013 and June 14, 2013; and
• If you are 18 of age or older, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry into this Contest; and
• You are NOT a resident of any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.
• PLEASE NOTE: U.S. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Therefore residents of these countries / regions are not eligible to participate.
• You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and
• You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and exe cution of this Contest; and
• You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest.

This Contest is void outside the geographic area described above and wherever else prohibited by law.

How do I enter?

In order to participate in this Contest, you must write a 5-15 page essay in English that conforms to the content/technical guidelines below. When your essay is complete, email it to cyber-essay@microsoft.com with the following information: first name, last name, email address, and school / university.

We will only accept three (3) entries per person but each essay must be substantially unique and different.

We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason.

We will automatically disqualify:

• Any incomplete or illegible entry; and
• Any entries that we receive from you that are in excess of the entry limit described above.

What constitutes an eligible entry?

To be eligible for judging an entry must meet the following content / technical requirements:

• Your entry must be in English
• Your entry must be a minimum 5 pages double spaced (not including appendices)
• You entry cannot exceed 15 pages (not including appendices)
• Your essay must be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF format
• Your essay must address the following topics: cybersecurity policy, measurement of cybersecurity outcomes, societal and technological trends that will impact cybersecurity

In addition:

• your entry must be your own original work; and
• your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest; and
• you must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry; and
• your entry may not include any third party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials. You may include Microsoft trademarks, logos, and designs, for which Microsoft grants you a limited license to use for the sole purposes of submitting an entry into this Contest.

We reserve the right to reject any entry, in our sole and absolute discretion, that we determine does not meet the above criteria.

How will my entry be potentially used?

Other than what is set forth below, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting your entry, you:

• are granting us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (i) use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Contest; and (ii) feature your entry and all content in connection with the marketing, sale, or promotion of this Contest (including but not limited to internal and external sales meetings, conference presentations, tradeshows, and screen shots of the Contest entry in press releases) in all media (now known or later developed);
• agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above;
• understand and acknowledge that the Sponsor(s) may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry;
• understand that we cannot control the incoming information you will disclose to our representatives in the course of entering, or what our representatives will remember about your entry. You also understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry. By entering this Contest, you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law;
• understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules

Please note that following the end of this Contest your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website. We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website. While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry.

If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this Contest.

Winner determination and prizes:

On or around the close of the Entry Period, a panel of judges will review all eligible entries received and select winners of the Contest Prizes described below based upon judging criteria described below.

Judging Criteria:

• 50.00% - Novel analysis: whether the entry demonstrates original thinking when compared against known research and writing about cybersecurity policy
• 25.00% - Future relevance: whether the entry speaks to challenges beyond current-day problems and presents options for the future
• 25.00% - Quantitative basis: whether the entry effectively uses quantitative data

The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than described above.

In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above. The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than the number of Contest Prizes described below.

Contest Prizes:

• One (1) First Prize. A check for $5,000 USD.
• One (1) Second Prize. A check for $3,000 USD.
• One (1) Third Prize. A check for $2,000 USD.

The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes: $10,000

We will only award one (1) prize per person.

If you are a potential winner, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address, the phone number, or mailing address (if any) provided at time of entry within seven (7) days following completion of judging. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award to a runner-up.

If you are confirmed as a winner of this Contest:

• You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services. However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and
• You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we may award it to a runner up; and
• If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize; and
• If you are otherwise eligible for this Contest, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf; and
• Unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and / or terms and conditions.

What other conditions am I agreeing to by entering?

By entering this Contest you agree:

• To abide by these Official Rules; and
• To release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest, or any prize won; and
• That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest; and
• That, by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

How can I find out who won?

If you send an email to cyber-esssay@microsoft.com within 30 days of June 28 2013, we will provide you with a list of winners.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: cyber-esssay@microsoft.com

Website: http://www.microsoft.com