Microsoft raises its bug bounty and expands the program

Security, or at least the appearance of security, is highly important to the software industry. One slip of the mask can spell doom for business contracts and stock prices, as such, every trick in the book is used to keep data safe. “White Hats” are particularly important, hackers that find and report bugs rather than exploit them.

Big bounties are attached to these finds through a series of Microsoft Bug Bounty programs. In an attempt to turn the grey and black hats towards cleaner practices, Microsoft has now gone one step further in this, raising the bounty limit for the Bounty for Defense to $100,000, whereas the previous ceiling was $50,000. This opens the way for a flood of bug finds, and will no doubt encourage a great many computer whisperers to Redmond’s door, as reported by TechNet.

If there is one thing to take away from this expansion of the program, it is this: security is now a number one priority for Microsoft.

Do you think the ceiling ought to be extended further? Let us know in the comments below.