Microsoft launches security bounty programs for Windows 8.1 and IE 11 preview

June 19, 2013

Microsoft will pay security researchers for finding and reporting vulnerabilities in the preview version of its Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11) browser, for finding novel techniques to bypass exploit mitigations present in Windows 8.1 or later versions, and for coming up with new ideas to defend against exploits. The monetary rewards will be paid through three bounty programs the company launched Wednesday. The payouts will range between $500 and $11,000 for vulnerabilities found in IE 11 Preview, depending on the type of vulnerability and quality of the report, and up to $100,000 for mitigation bypasses in Windows 8.1 and later versions. IE 11 There is also a defense bonus of up to $50,000, the BlueHat Bonus for Defense. Participants must submit a technical paper that describes an idea that could be used to block an exploitation technique that bypasses the latest Windows platform mitigations. The reward will depend on the quality and uniqueness of the idea, Microsoft said in the program’s guidelines. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2042424/microsoft-launches-security-bounty-programs-for-windows-81-and-ie-11-preview.html#tk.rss_all