It is very rare for companies to let hackers openly try and get into their tech, and with a reward to boot, and yet here we see Google going for that very thought. In fact, if you think you have the skill to break into the Chromebook, then you might be well on your way to receiving $100,000 from the firm known for its search engine. What’s the catch? Just find security holes within the firm’s products and services with regards to checking out the device.
Google Increases the Reward Money for Finding Security Holes Within Chromebook
For “researchers” who are able to compromise a Chromebook, Google had offered $50,000 in the past for those who are successful in finding security holes by compromising the device. The reward has now doubled to $100,000 as per a recent blog post by the firm. Chromebook users are able to place their devices into Guest Mode when sharing their low-cost laptops with other people. Activating this mode will also keep their account information private so as not to be compromised by guest users.
At the time of writing, the search engine giant (now a key player in the tech industry), has not yet received a successful submission from their “security researchers” so far with regards to breaking into the Google Chromebook.
Stated just this January of this year, the firm boasted that they have already handed out over $2-million to security researchers who have already found bugs within the company’s low-cost tech. The Chromebook, which allows users to surf the web in a more convenient fashion on a larger screen as compared to doing so on a mobile device, has had many security researchers try their best in cracking the code to finding security holes within the unit’s system.
Since the launching of the said research project back in 2010, the firm has already awarded over $6-million in cash prizes to researchers, as well as hackers. They have even cited over 300 security researchers which have earned a lot of money for their diligent work since the program rolled out approximately 6-years ago.
It is not just Google who is looking into the “bug bounty” program. Sony Pictures Entertainment also did the same thing especially when it has been ravaged by high-profile hacks back in 2014. The basic idea behind such programs is to create solutions by finding specific areas of concern, thereby making security even harder to crack for future devices and updates.