Google offers hackers $1 million in prizes to find bugs in Chrome

[Shahrukh]

Google has a million dollar message for hackers: try harder.

The Google Chrome Security Team announced in a blog post Monday they will pay up to $1 million in prizes to hackers who can expose bugs and vulnerabilities in their system.

Calling it a "big learning opportunity," Google staffers Chris Evans and Justin Schuh unveiled three ways in which techies can win the cash by poking holes in their technology.

A top prize of $60,000 will go to each hacker who can find a "Full Chrome exploit" ? a flaw that exists exclusively in Chrome. The next prize of $40,000 will be paid to those who can find a "Partial Chrome exploit" ? a bug or flaw in Chrome that may also exist in other programs. Lastly, Google will hand out $20,000 "Consolation rewards" to hackers who expose bugs of "exploits" that aren't specific to Chrome but affect users of all Internet browsers ? such as issues with Flash and other software.

"We will issue multiple rewards per category, up to the $1 million limit, on a first-come-first served basis," the post reads.

Each winner will also score a Chromebook.

The hefty rewards are just the latest incentive from Google for hackers to help them test out Chrome.

Two years ago, Google launched their Chromium Security Rewards Program, and the company says it has issued over $300,000 in rewards since then to people who have discovered bugs in the system. "Chromium is a more stable and robust browser thanks to the efforts of the wider security community," the company said in a statement earlier this month.

But Evans and Schuh urged hackers to up their efforts to uncover more flaws to help them make a better browser. "This enables us to better protect our users," they wrote in the post. "While we're proud of Chrome's leading track record in past competitions, the fact is that not receiving exploits means that it's harder to learn and improve ... To maximize our chances of receiving exploits this year, we've upped the ante."

Google is not alone in offering money to hackers, programmers who are traditionally associated with trying to take companies down ? not help them get stronger.

Facebook also offers incentives to programmers who can help expose bugs. The social network began giving out "White Hat Bug Bounty Program" Visa cards last year, doling out thousands of dollars to hackers who found flaws and paying them on an exclusive debit card, which can be used just like a credit or ATM card.

The Facebook-branded card not only serves as a financial incentive but as a status symbol, as the company said it planned to offer its hackers special access to parties and events.

"Researchers who find bugs and security improvements are rare, and we value them and have to find ways to reward them," Ryan McGeehan, manager of Facebook's security response team, told CNET. "They can show up at a conference and show this card and say 'I did special work for Facebook.'"



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Shahrukh Reviewed by Shahrukh on 17th Mar 2012. Google offers hackers $1 million in prizes to find bugs in Chrome http://i2.lulzimg.com/3320dc859f.jpg Google has a million dollar message for hackers: try harder. The Google Chrome Security Team announced in a blog post Monday they will pay up to $1 million in prizes to hackers who can expose bugs and vulnerabilities in their system. Calling it a "big learning opportunity," Google staffers Chris Evans and Justin Schuh unveiled three ways in which techies can win the cash by poking holes in their technology. A top prize of $60,000 will go to each Rating: 5

[themubeen]

I found one...
Chrome does not open web page when internet is down.

[RT]

^That's a bug in your brain.

[BaqarNaqvi]

Lucky hacker who found the bug

[haytham_12_12]

lol yea now i hope i was a hacker

[se7en0n3]

Is it just me or it's just plain dumb to use a mouse over a notebook's touchpad? (see photo above)

[Myth?]

These are the times I wish I could hack.

[Wadibahi]

i think someone got this prize bcz every software is not 100% perfect
Chrome still have bugs