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Twitter’s 'bug bounty' programme pays out $322k to ethical hackers

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By Jennifer Faull, Deputy Editor

May 28, 2016 | 2 min read

Twitter’s so called ‘bug bounty’ programme – which offers cash in exchange for discovers a vulnerability with the site – has shelled out $322, 420 (£220,503) since it launched two years ago.

bug bounty

Since May 2014, a total of 1,662 researchers have detected bugs on Twitter that have earned them cash. The smallest amount paid was $140 (£95), while the biggest hand out amounted to $12,040 (£8,234). One individual earned a total of $54,000 (£36,930) in 2015.

In comparison to Facebook, however, this is relatively low. Within the first two years of its ‘bug bounty programme some researchers reportedly earned $100,000 (£68,390) each.

Twitter says this is evidence of the growing number of “ethical hackers”.

“Since launching the program we’ve seen impressive growth in both the number of vulnerabilities reported and our payout amounts, reflecting our rising payout minimums and also the growing community of ethical hackers participating in the program”

In a blogpost the network also revealed some of the bugs that have been expose.

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