Microsoft Dishes Out Record $20 Million Bounty for Bug Hunters

Microsoft recently announced that it paid out over $20 million to researchers through its bug bounty programs between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The company received 2,531 eligible reports from researchers across 64 countries, with the largest single payout reaching $200,000.

Microsoft attributed the significant increase in submission volume during the second half of the year to 'strong engagement from the research community and the growing use of AI to support security research.'

The total amount includes $2.3 million given to participants at the Zero Day Quest hacking contest and $800,000 paid out through new initiatives targeting vulnerabilities in third-party and open source code.