Patent Document ID: 20170134417
Application ID: 15269639
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A computer vulnerability discovery system comprising: a plurality of researcher computer network connections for a plurality of researcher computers, wherein each researcher computer network connection is for sending and receiving data between a researcher computer of the plurality of researcher computers and a central controller, wherein the researcher computer is a computer operated by, or to be operated by, an invited researcher, wherein an invited researcher is a person or organization selected to participate in one or more computer vulnerability research projects related to one or more target systems, wherein the central controller is capable of monitoring at least some communications between the researcher computer and at least some of the one or more target systems; tracking, at the central controller, assignment of a particular computer vulnerability research project of the one or more computer vulnerability research projects to an assigned researcher computer, to be operated by the invited researcher assigned to the particular computer vulnerability research project, wherein the particular computer vulnerability research project relates to a particular target system; providing the assigned researcher computer with access credentials for the central controller and/or the particular target system; establishing a communications path between the central controller and the particular target system; monitoring networked data communications between the researcher computer and the particular target system, wherein the networked data communications include communications that are usable to identify security vulnerabilities of the particular target system; and determining a candidate security vulnerability of the particular target system based on a report received from the assigned researcher resulting from the assigned researcher's use of the assigned researcher computer to interact with the particular target system.