Avecho delays £10,000 hacking competition

Antivirus company Avecho has delayed its £10,000 competition, which invited people to try and break its product.

The company said it had postponed the contest because it still required a third-party adjudicator, but would be replying to those who tried to enter over the next week. In an email to would-be contestants signed by the 'Avecho Challenge team', the company wrote:

"Thank you for your interest in the Avecho challenge. We are finalising details and will be in contact again over the next week. The responses have shown that a third-party adjudicator is important and that is what we will be providing. Sorry again for the delay."

Last Monday, Avecho told ZDNet UK that anyone was welcome to try to sneak a virus past its GlassWall product. The first person to complete the challenge would be eligible for £10,000, promised the firm.

Avecho has yet to release details of how its product works, but on its Web site claims to have not passed a single virus since 2002.