• Participants will have to demonstrate their computer wizardry in solving two problems set by PandaLabs
  • Prizes of iPads will be awarded to the quickest to resolve the problems
  • Last year’s edition saw more than 4,000 IT enthusiasts from around the world take part

For the second year running, PandaLabs, Panda Security’s anti-malware laboratory, is launching the Panda Challenge. Last year’s edition of the competition saw more than 4,000 entrants putting their considerable computer skills to the test.

This year’s Panda Challenge will ask participants to find the solution to two practical problems, published in the PandaLabs Blog: In the first phase, users will have to download the game and then make a keyfile in order to play it; the second involves finding a valid license for a program.

The first challenge will be published on Saturday, July 17 at 09:00 AM (GMT + 2) and solutions must be received by Monday, July 19 at 17:00 PM (GMT + 2). The second challenge will be published the following weekend, on Saturday, July 24 at the same time, and solutions must be received by Monday, July 26. The winner will be the first contestant to send the solution to pandachallenge@pandasecurity.com.

Anyone, from any country, can take part, with no need to register or comply with any requirements. All participants can follow the contest and interact with each other on Twitter, using the hashtag #PC2010.

According to Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs: “Last year we launched this challenge for the first time, unaware of the fantastic response we would get. We were pleasantly surprised to see such a high number of participants with such technical expertise. The challenges were not easy but many users managed to find the solution. This year we have taken into account the suggestions of contestants to better adapt the challenge to everyone’s needs: we’re running it at the weekend, with a timetable that allows people from all over the world to take part, etc. We hope users enjoy it as much as last year…”.

News about the Panda Challenge will be published on the PandaLabs Blog.