Defies Apple and hackers .. Google pays a million dollars to those who penetrate its phones

Google is following Apple's footsteps in the area of ​​its vulnerability detection, so it announced a prize for those who discover a breakthrough that allows remote control of its smartphones.

The decision comes at a time when technology giants, private companies and governments are competing for huge prizes for unique hackers.

In his report, published by Forbes magazine, writer Thomas Brewster said the $ 1 million offer announced on Thursday was for anyone who could carry out an attack on 3 and 4 pixel phones, allowing for continued access to the device.

Anyone hoping for the reward will also have to break through the Titan M, Google's “safe element”.

Google also offers up to $ 1.5 million to anyone who detects gaps in Android system updates.

Apple announced a similar decision in August, and explained Jessica Lin from the Android security team that "because the version of Android Q is modern, we will put it to a select group of developers to review the next update from Android."

There are additional bonuses of up to $ 500,000 for attacks targeting data theft and bypassing the lock screen, and those who want to know how much they can earn through Google's updated Android Security Rewards Program page, these prizes are limited to the latest Pixel phones. Version of Android.

The program is in effect today, but Google will only provide major rewards for research submitted as of November 21.

Software glitches have more prizes
Major technology companies around the world are providing money to those who can help them improve the security of their devices by penetrating them.

Google said it had delivered $ 1.5 million to researchers over the past 12 months, the largest amount that Google provided to one researcher named Guang Gong, who managed to hack her phone "Pixel 3" with one click, where he received $ 161,337 from the security rewards program for Android, and 40, $ 10,000 from the separate Chrome Rewards Initiative, bringing the total to $ 201,337.

Earlier this week, Forbes revealed Huawei's bug-fixing rewards, which briefly outperformed Google by offering $ 220,000 in prize money to hack a host of Android devices remotely.

Google did not give any explanation for the significant increase in its reward program posted on the company's blog, and when I asked Forbes magazine on this subject, said the director of security and privacy communications at Android Scott Westover Continue to motivate the best researchers in the world to participate. "

There is speculation that Apple's recent announcement of increased rewards for the protection of its devices was the motive behind Google's move, but also may be a profitable private information market provided another motivation, because the industry is full of companies that pay money to hackers to find gaps in the systems of large companies and sell these Information to competitors or to governments, that's what makes users vulnerable.

Therefore, the Google Declaration is a positive message and step to reach the information security and security community in general, to encourage hackers to work with them and improve protection systems instead of working against them with competitors or saboteurs and others.