Microsoft’s bug bounty program, a cornerstone of its security strategy since 2013, has become a vital tool in the ongoing battle against cyber threats. Over the years, the program has disbursed more than million to ethical hackers for identifying vulnerabilities in its products and services. In the latest reporting period alone, the company allocated an impressive .6 million to reward those who help fortify its defenses. This raises an intriguing question: why do vulnerabilities, including the notorious zero-day exploits, continue to emerge from the Windows ecosystem?
How Hackers Get Paid To Hack Microsoft Without Breaking The Law
The security landscape surrounding Microsoft platforms is fraught with challenges, from Windows zero-days to Microsoft Account takeover attacks. At the heart of these threats lies a common denominator: vulnerabilities. These weaknesses, often hidden within the intricate code of software or the processes governing services, can provide entry points for malicious actors. Identifying these vulnerabilities before they can be exploited is essential for safeguarding users and their data. This necessity is underscored by Google’s recent investment of .8 million in its own bug bounty program throughout 2024, mirroring Microsoft’s substantial financial commitment.
In a recent update, Tom Gallagher, vice president of engineering at the Microsoft Security Response Center, emphasized the urgency of discovering and swiftly addressing security vulnerabilities. “MSRC partners with product teams across Microsoft, as well as external security researchers,” Gallagher noted, “to investigate reports of security vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft products and services.”
It is these external security researchers—often referred to as hackers—who are eligible for compensation through Microsoft’s incentivized bug bounty programs. By adhering to the principle of coordinated vulnerability disclosure, Microsoft ensures that researchers receive recognition for their contributions while also allowing the company to rectify newly reported vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious entities. However, when this window of opportunity is missed, the risk of zero-day exploits becomes a pressing concern.
When Hackers Attack Before A Vulnerability Is Disclosed
A zero-day attack represents a vulnerability that has not yet been patched. As my colleague Kate O’Flaherty aptly describes, the term “zero day” signifies that the flaw is known to the vendor but remains unaddressed, leaving zero days for the vendor to issue a fix. This scenario creates a race against time for the responsible vendor to deploy a patch before attackers can exploit the vulnerability.
It’s crucial to recognize that not all hackers operate with malicious intent. While ethical hackers participate in bug bounty programs like those offered by Microsoft and Google, there exists a darker side where some individuals uncover vulnerabilities only to sell this information to the highest bidder, often for substantial sums. State-sponsored groups may either discover these zero-day vulnerabilities independently or acquire them from brokers, sometimes paying six figures or more based on the target’s profile. This reality illustrates that bug bounty programs alone cannot entirely eliminate the zero-day threat. Nevertheless, the funds directed towards ethical hackers by Microsoft are far from wasted. Their efforts in identifying vulnerabilities play a critical role in reducing the number of zero-day exploits and mitigating potential harm to users.
