Full Report
SensePost is proud to announce a competition to identify the best information security research published by a resident of South Africa in 2011 (Jan 1st to Dec 3rd). Much security research is unfunded and private but, when published, enters the toolsets and minds of security companies worldwide. South Africa’s security industry is best-described as “fledgling”, and we want to support researchers who produce quality research. Heads up: even if you’re not a researcher, you can still win by nominating work, so continue reading.
Analysis Summary
# Industry News: SensePost Launches South African Security Research Prize
## Summary
SensePost has announced the inaugural "ZA Prize" competition to recognize and reward the best information security research published by a South African resident during 2011. This initiative aims to foster and promote quality, impactful security research originating from the region, offering a financial incentive and public exposure to encourage emerging talent in South Africa's "fledgling" security industry.
## Key Details
- Date: Announced November 21, 2011; Winner Announced December 3, 2011.
- Companies Involved: SensePost (Organizer), B-Sides Cape Town (Venue).
- Category: Industry Development Initiative / Research Award.
## The Story
SensePost is sponsoring a R5000 cash prize for the top piece of information security research published by a South African resident between January 1st and December 3rd, 2011. The research must have been published in a semi-formal or formal venue, excluding informal channels like blogs or forums. The competition explicitly encourages nominations from the public, offering a R500 finder's fee to the person who nominated the eventual winner. The goal is to elevate visibility for quality, often unfunded, local research that frequently contributes to global security toolsets and knowledge bases. The winner will be announced at B-Sides Cape Town, with an interview scheduled for further exposure.
## Business Impact
### For the Companies Involved
- **SensePost:** This initiative significantly boosts SensePost's profile as a thought leader and committed supporter of the local cybersecurity ecosystem, potentially leading to enhanced recruitment pipelines and B2B goodwill within the nascent South African market.
### For Competitors
- This move sets a new benchmark for corporate social responsibility and local talent nurturing among South African security firms. Competitors may feel pressure to initiate similar programs to attract or retain top local talent.
### For Customers
- Indirectly, customers benefit from the increased quality and visibility of security research originating locally, which should lead to improved defensive and offensive capabilities being developed and shared within the region.
### For the Market
- This competition serves as a vital catalyst for the South African security market. By recognizing quality research, it helps formalize and legitimize the R&D output of the local community, potentially attracting further investment into regional security service providers and consultancies.
## Technical Implications
The criteria focus on research published in semi-formal or formal venues (conferences, journals, whitepapers), implying that the winning work is expected to be rigorous, vetted, and directly applicable to advancing security knowledge or tools.
## Strategic Analysis
- **Market Positioning:** SensePost positions itself as instrumental in the development and maturity of the South African security community, gaining soft power and influence among local researchers and practitioners.
- **Competitive Advantage:** Establishing this prize provides an early-mover advantage in identifying and associating with high-potential South African security talent before they become established globally.
- **Challenges:** Ensuring a sufficiently diverse and high-quality pool of nominations within a "fledgling" industry may be hard. The reliance on private/unfunded research means tracking and verifying nominations requires diligent effort.
## Industry Reactions
- **Analyst Opinions:** This is viewed positively as a critical investment in human capital development, especially in regions where formal security funding and infrastructure might be lacking.
- **Expert Commentary:** Local security veterans likely view this as a necessary mechanism to close the gap between South African security knowledge and global standards.
- **Market Response:** The call for nominations suggests immediate engagement from the local community.
## Future Outlook
- **Predictions and Expectations:** If successful, this prize is likely to become an annual fixture, leading to higher quality submissions in subsequent years as researchers aim for the recognition and financial reward.
- **What to watch for:** The quality of the inaugural research selected will be a key indicator of the current depth of the South African security talent pool.
## For Security Professionals
This competition offers a tangible opportunity for South African researchers to gain exposure, receive financial reward (R5000), and have their work propelled into the wider global security conversation. Practitioners are also encouraged to nominate impactful work they have encountered.