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I disagree. While Pwn2Own is not evidence of the relative security of browsers, I don't see how it can be "harmful" when it causes Google and Apple to find and ship numerous fixes for the competition. It also raises awareness to the general public; if IE 8 being hacked at Pwn2Own gets even some of the less technologically-inclined to switch to a better browser, I'm all for it.

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It creates a powerful incentive not to disclose vulnerabilities within a large window of time preceding CanSecWest (disclose now: $0; disclose in March: $15,000), and it creates false perceptions about the relative security of browsers and about security in general.

The argument against Pwn2Own is pretty straightforward.

Incidentally, switching from IE for security is tricky. There are some (v. popular) browsers you could switch from IE to that (the C.W. says) would make you more secure; others, less. The IE family has a lot of problems, but "owned by people who don't give a shit about security" isn't one of them.

there's more than one buyer out there for vulns

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