Apple is elevating cybersecurity reward programs to a whole new level. The company recently revealed that it will offer unprecedented compensations to the researchers who manage to locate extremely crucial security glitches. With this fresh scheme, the tech giant is willing to give away millions of dollars to whoever unveils vulnerabilities that could be exploited for large-scale cyberattacks.
For instance, Apple is ready to pay as much as $2 million (approximately ₹17.7 crore) to the hands that can reach the ground of security research. The reward is mainly for the description of “exploit chains” that can do zero-click hacks – similar to the ones used with advanced spyware infections.
It is the most significant reward that Apple has ever put up. The company is eager to identify and manage these threats before the attackers can make use of them.
Moreover, Apple has also increased the prizes for those bugs enabling a bypass of Lockdown Mode. The particular mode is like a fortress with more layers of protection around a user’s digital world.
The total amount of the reward for a Lockdown Mode weakness is $2 million. If researchers working with Apple’s beta software uncover a flaw, they can get a reward of up to $1.5 million. On top of that, Apple is raising the stakes with new bonuses for different groups of vulnerabilities, so the prizes can become even more significant.
Apple declared that it is the most extensive bounty program in the market. Apart from the basic payout, the company also gives bonus payments. If a team of researchers pretends to be one and uncovers Lockdown Mode bypasses as well as issues with beta software, then the reward will be able to go beyond $5 million.
The large sum is a move designed to secure the attendance of the best security specialists from every corner of the globe. Apple’s endgame is to eliminate the causes of vulnerabilities well ahead of intruders take advantage of them.
In November 2025, Apple is going to make changes to the bug bounty program. The modifications to the program will be posted on the Apple Security Research website, along with the categories, the rewards and the bonus structure.
The revision will look for vulnerabilities in Apple’s gadgets and services. The researchers will also have dress rehearsals on how to turn in their findings and get their rewards.
Apple’s public security bounty program was implemented in 2022. After that, the company has disbursed over $35 million to security researchers (more than ₹300 crores).
On an individual basis, more than 800 researchers have been paid for their work. Some were paid up to $500,000 for discovering critical bugs. According to Apple, this move has helped the ecosystem become more robust. Therefore, safer for users worldwide.
Also Read: World’s Top 5 Most Secure Smartphones: Almost Impossible to Hack