Manager and Senior Penetration Tester Eric Randle details how CBI is contributing its surplus computing power to support Folding@Home, a distributed computing project working to research cures to Coronavirus and other novel diseases.
While the advent of COVID-19, colloquially known as the Coronavirus, has people feeling unsure on how to help, there are groups of scientific-minded researchers working hard to create a vaccine through the power of distributed computing.
Initiatives like Folding@Home are leveraging crowdsourced, distributed computing efforts to complete the extremely complicated calculations required to simulate the protein folding dynamics of the Coronavirus – and ultimately find a cure. Because the computing requirements required to complete these calculations far exceeds that of the typical university lab, Folding@Home thrives on everyday people and companies to contribute their computing power remotely and drive the research forward.
What We’re Doing
At CBI, we’re doing our part by employing the power of our hash cracking rig to contribute to Folding@Home’s research. While the hash cracking rig, ingenuously nicknamed “McCracken”, is typically used in client engagements for our Advanced Testing Services team, we’ve set it up this week to run Folding@Home calculations to make the best use of the machine during what would normally be considered idle time.
Setup has been quick and straightforward, and we’ve chosen to support Folding@Home because of the compatibility between their software and our hash cracking rig’s hardware. We simply downloaded the Folding at Home software and then let our 15 cards worth of computing power get to work.
Find Out How You Can Help
CBI is proud to contribute to Folding@Home’s mission to fight diseases like COVID-19 – but any person or company with a password-cracking environment or any surplus computing power can contribute as well – there’s a compounding effect on the impact of this research if we all pitch in.
If you’re interested in helping Folding@Home in the fight against the Coronavirus, here are resources to explore and next steps you can take:
- Read this blog post to learn more about how Folding at Home is combating the Coronavirus and how you can help: https://foldingathome.org/2020/03/15/coronavirus-what-were-doing-and-how-you-can-help-in-simple-terms/
- Visit Folding at Home directly to download the software and share your unused computing power – the calculations are enormous, and every bit helps: https://foldingathome.org/start-folding/
- Explore this Reddit thread for more information about Folding at Home and similar initiatives including specifics, instructions and conversation: https://www.reddit.com/r/COVID19/comments/fd29vj/please_consider_downloading_boinc_or_foldinghome/
- Make a financial donation to Folding@Home directly via Washington University in St. Louis: https://gifts.wustl.edu/med/index.html?other_designation_description=Folding@Home%20(Dr%20Greg%20Bowman,%20Dept%20of%20Biochemistry)&0_d_tr1=71&sc=NG
Stay safe and be well!
