Samuel Erb

Proof of work functions have recently become massively popular with the rise of cryptocurrency. There is, however, another application. Proof of work functions can be used to show interest in a request for a finite resource. In this case, a server's time delivering internet content. A proof of work function, otherwise known as a crypto puzzle, can likely be used to protect a server against a botnet attack. However, there is no perfect crypto puzzle currently. This presentation will present what would make a crypto puzzle ideal in the current computing world.

Bio: Samuel Erb is a system software engineer for a software company based in Cambridge, MA. He received a BS in computer engineering from UMass Amherst & a MS in computer science from WPI.

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