What is Bug Bounty ?
A bug bounty program, also called a vulnerability rewards program (VRP), is a crowdsourcing initiative that rewards individuals for discovering and reporting software bugs. Bug bounty programs are often initiated to supplement internal code audits and penetration tests as part of an organization's vulnerability management strategy.
Many software vendors and websites run bug bounty programs, paying out cash rewards to software security researchers and white hat hackers who report software vulnerabilities that have the potential to be exploited. Bug reports must document enough information for for the organization offering the bounty to be able to reproduce the vulnerability. Typically, payment amounts are commensurate with the size of the organization, the difficulty in hacking the system and how much impact on users a bug might have.
Mozilla paid out a $3,000 flat rate bounty for bugs that fit its criteria, while Facebook has given out as much as $20,000 for a single bug report. Google paid Chrome operating system bug reporters a combined $700,000 in 2012 and Microsoft paid UK researcher James Forshaw $100,000 for an attack vulnerability in Windows 8.1. In 2016, Apple announced rewards that max out at $200,000 for a flaw in the iOS secure boot firmware components and up to $50,000 for execution of arbitrary code with kernel privileges or unauthorized iCloud access.
While the use of ethical hackers to find bugs can be very effective, such programs can also be controversial. To limit potential risk, some organizations are offering closed bug bounty programs that require an invitation. Apple, for example, has limited bug bounty participation to few dozen researchers.
A bug bounty program, also called a vulnerability rewards program (VRP), is a crowdsourcing initiative that rewards individuals for discovering and reporting software bugs. Bug bounty programs are often initiated to supplement internal code audits and penetration tests as part of an organization's vulnerability management strategy.
Many software vendors and websites run bug bounty programs, paying out cash rewards to software security researchers and white hat hackers who report software vulnerabilities that have the potential to be exploited. Bug reports must document enough information for for the organization offering the bounty to be able to reproduce the vulnerability. Typically, payment amounts are commensurate with the size of the organization, the difficulty in hacking the system and how much impact on users a bug might have.
Mozilla paid out a $3,000 flat rate bounty for bugs that fit its criteria, while Facebook has given out as much as $20,000 for a single bug report. Google paid Chrome operating system bug reporters a combined $700,000 in 2012 and Microsoft paid UK researcher James Forshaw $100,000 for an attack vulnerability in Windows 8.1. In 2016, Apple announced rewards that max out at $200,000 for a flaw in the iOS secure boot firmware components and up to $50,000 for execution of arbitrary code with kernel privileges or unauthorized iCloud access.
While the use of ethical hackers to find bugs can be very effective, such programs can also be controversial. To limit potential risk, some organizations are offering closed bug bounty programs that require an invitation. Apple, for example, has limited bug bounty participation to few dozen researchers.
More articles
- How To Make Hacking Tools
- Easy Hack Tools
- Easy Hack Tools
- Growth Hacker Tools
- Tools For Hacker
- Hak5 Tools
- Hacker Tools For Mac
- Hacking Tools Pc
- Pentest Tools Linux
- Hack Tools Online
- Hack Tools For Mac
- Hacking Tools For Windows 7
- Hack And Tools
- Pentest Recon Tools
- Hack Tools For Windows
- Hack Tools Online
- Pentest Tools Kali Linux
- Hack Website Online Tool
- Android Hack Tools Github
- Hack Tools Online
- Physical Pentest Tools
- Hacker Tools For Ios
- Hacker Tools Github
- Nsa Hacker Tools
- Hacking Tools 2019
- Hack Tools 2019
- Pentest Tools Url Fuzzer
- Nsa Hacker Tools
- Tools Used For Hacking
- Beginner Hacker Tools
- Pentest Tools For Android
- Install Pentest Tools Ubuntu
- Hacker Security Tools
- World No 1 Hacker Software
- Hacker Tools 2019
- Hacking Tools And Software
- Hacker Search Tools
- Hacking App
- Hack Rom Tools
- Hacker Tools Github
- Hacker Tools Hardware
- Ethical Hacker Tools
- Hacking Tools For Beginners
- Pentest Tools For Android
- Install Pentest Tools Ubuntu
- Hack Website Online Tool
- Tools Used For Hacking
- Pentest Tools List
- Hacking Tools Free Download
- Hack Tools
- What Are Hacking Tools
- Hacker Techniques Tools And Incident Handling
- Hacker Tools Github
- Hacker Tools For Windows
- New Hack Tools
- Hacker Tool Kit
- Pentest Tools Url Fuzzer
- Hackers Toolbox
- Best Pentesting Tools 2018
- Hackers Toolbox
- Free Pentest Tools For Windows
- Hack Tools Pc
- Tools 4 Hack
- Hacker Tools Apk Download
- Pentest Tools Find Subdomains
- Pentest Tools For Mac
- How To Install Pentest Tools In Ubuntu
- Termux Hacking Tools 2019
- Pentest Tools Github
- Android Hack Tools Github
- Hacker Search Tools
- Pentest Tools Github
- Hacker Tools List
- Blackhat Hacker Tools
- New Hacker Tools
- Pentest Tools Bluekeep
- Hacking Tools For Windows Free Download
- New Hacker Tools
- Hacker Tools Hardware
- Hacker Tools Online
- Bluetooth Hacking Tools Kali
- Hackers Toolbox
- Top Pentest Tools
- Hacking Tools Download
- Best Hacking Tools 2020
- Hak5 Tools
- Hacking Tools
- Pentest Tools Free
- Hacker Tools Windows
- Hacker Tools Github
- Hacking Tools Windows 10
- Hacking Tools And Software
- Hack And Tools
- Pentest Tools Android
- Pentest Tools Bluekeep
- Best Pentesting Tools 2018
- Hacker
- Hacker Tools Apk Download
- Hacking Tools Windows
- Hacking Tools Hardware
- Hacker Tools Apk
- Bluetooth Hacking Tools Kali
- Hack Tools For Pc
- Hacking Tools For Games
- How To Install Pentest Tools In Ubuntu
- Hak5 Tools
- Physical Pentest Tools
- Ethical Hacker Tools
