Microsoft Bug Bounty Program evolution
The developments in this story so far, most recent first.
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· date approximate Milestone
Microsoft distributes $20 million to security researchers via Bug Bounty program
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· date approximate Background
Microsoft's Zero Day Quest hacker competition resulted in the discovery of almost 700 vulnerabilities.
In early 2026, Microsoft conducted a hacker competition known as Zero Day Quest. This event resulted in the discovery of almost 700 security vulnerabilities.
The competition also distributed a total of 2.3 million US dollars in prize money.
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· date approximate Background
Microsoft distributed approximately 17 million US dollars to 344 researchers from 59 countries.
In the period from mid-2024 to mid-2025, Microsoft distributed approximately 17 million US dollars through its Bug Bounty Program. This amount set a record at that time.
During this same period, funds were distributed to 344 researchers representing 59 different countries. The average payout per researcher was approximately 49,400 US dollars.