Microsoft’s bug bounty program has been in operation since 2013, aiming to secure products and services from potential attacks. Over the years, the program has paid out a substantial amount of money to hackers, totaling more than $60 million for uncovering vulnerabilities. In the latest reporting period alone, $16.6 million was paid out to hackers, raising questions about the prevalence of vulnerabilities within Microsoft’s products, particularly those utilized in zero-day exploits.
The security threats faced by users of Microsoft platforms and services, ranging from Windows zero-days to Microsoft Account takeover attacks, all share a common thread – vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities, hidden within product codes or service processes, provide hackers and cybercriminals with entry points to exploit. Identifying and remedying these vulnerabilities before they are exploited is crucial to safeguarding users and their data. This is why Google paid $11.8 million to hackers through its bug bounty program in 2024 and why Microsoft has allocated over $60 million overall, with $16.6 million spent in the most recent period, to compensate hackers for their efforts in discovering these vulnerabilities.
According to a recent posting by Tom Gallagher, vice president of engineering at the Microsoft Security Response Center, the rapid identification and mitigation of security vulnerabilities are more critical now than ever before. The Microsoft Security Response Center collaborates with internal product teams and external security researchers, including hackers, to investigate reports of vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft products and services. External security researchers, who are often eligible for rewards under Microsoft’s bug bounty program, play a vital role in this process.
Microsoft adheres to the coordinated vulnerability disclosure principle when responding to and mitigating security vulnerabilities identified by hackers. This approach not only recognizes the efforts of researchers but also allows Microsoft to address reported vulnerabilities promptly, minimizing the window of opportunity for bad actors to exploit them. However, there are instances where threat actors exploit vulnerabilities before they are disclosed, leading to zero-day exploits.
A zero-day attack, as defined by cybersecurity experts, refers to a vulnerability that has not yet been patched. This term originates from the fact that once a vulnerability is known to the vendor, there are zero days to issue a fix before potential attackers can exploit it. While some hackers participate in bug bounty programs to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities, others may choose to sell them to the highest bidder, including state-sponsored groups or zero-day brokers, for large sums of money. This underscores the ongoing threat posed by zero-day vulnerabilities and the limitations of bug bounty programs in completely eradicating such risks.
Despite the challenges posed by zero-day exploits, the funding allocated by Microsoft to hackers is considered a worthwhile investment. Without the efforts of ethical hackers in identifying and reporting vulnerabilities, the prevalence of zero-day exploits would be significantly higher, resulting in greater harm to users and their data. In this context, bug bounty programs serve as a critical tool in mitigating security risks and enhancing the overall resilience of Microsoft’s products and services.