Have a flutter on a worm
Controversial Irish Web site Tradesports.com will soon accept wagers on IT security disasters, such as the timing of the next big Windows virus or the most likely victim of a future DDoS attack.
Futures market broker Tradesports.com has been criticised in the past for allowing its customers to gamble on controversial "contracts" or events, such as the capture of Osama Bin Laden or the formation of a Palestinian state. The company's latest idea is to allow punters to trade on the likelihood of IT security disasters.
John Delaney, chief executive of TradeSports.com, told ZDNet UK that the date a new Windows virus will strike or when a certain company will be the victim of a DDoS attack, are "exactly the types of contracts" the company is looking to host.
"By the end of the year we will have contracts relating to technology issues. Several people have contacted us for contracts related to DDoS attacks -- such as 'when will eBay be brought down by a DDoS attack?'," said Delaney.
Antivirus firm Sophos' senior technical consultant Graham Cluley said that although the TradeSports could offer the IT industry a "temperature check" of the current security status, the site is unlikely to be of any use when planning security strategy.
