Microsoft and Facebook Launch Internet Bug Bounty Program

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft and Facebook today jointly launched a new initiative called the Internet Bug Bounty program. In short, the two companies are looking to secure the Internet stack by rewarding anyone and everyone who hacks it, and responsibly discloses vulnerabilities they find. The minimum bounty for hacking any component of the Internet is $5,000."

Comments

If you can't beat them ..

[arisvega]

.. bribe them.

Re:If you can't beat them ..

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

.. bribe them.

Strictly speaking, unless the bounties get substantially bigger than the minimum, and relatively quickly, it's more along the lines of 'If you can't beat them, see if you can provide additional motivation to people already on your side; but perhaps not bothering to focus on the problems you care about."

Mistake

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

The minimum fine for hacking any component of the Internet is $5,000

There, fixed that for you.

Didn't you know? Hacking has become a criminal activity that sends you to court nowadays...

Re:Mistake

[Joining Yet Again]

AC [from basement]: Mooooooom they're not using English words they way I want them to be used.

Mom: Why don't you call the Académie anglaise?

AC: Moooom ur SOOOOOO dumb there isn't an Académie anglaise you see English is a descriptive language GOD THIS IS TYPICAL PUBLIC SCHOOL AMERICAN EDUCATION...

Mom: Erm, you went to a publi.. never mind, your sarcasm/nuance detector is clearly broken. OK, so given that words evolve, what do you think we can do about it?

AC: Moooooooooooom call my lawyer it's slander!!!!!

Mom: You're a 25 year old manchild, you don't have a lawyer.

AC: Mooooooooooom call the police!!!

Mom: Why can't you?

AC: Moooooooooom I don't like using the 'phone, people are mean to me, they say I'm a criminal cos I'm a hacker. It's not my fault I'm more intelligent than them :'(.

Mom: There there, son.

AC: Bitty.

Mom: Not now, son, we're doing a piece for Slashdot.

AC: But, mom, bitty.

Mom: Oh, all right, sweety, come here.

* Mom takes out breast and AC begins suckling.

in a strange twist of fate

[nimbius]

today two companies I despise, microsoft and facebook, came together to offer me not a job with dental and health benefits, but what most would conclude is a pittance for securing something as arbitrary and vast as "the internet."

the black market on the other hand offered to pay handsomly a years salary for my exploit that breaks microsoft embedded security in appliances like ATM's and nuclear reactors, thereby recognizing and acknowledging my important work in the field of security. Until such time as megacorps get their milton freeman head out of their ayn rand arse, im inclined to sell to the highest bidder because $5000 bounties dont pay my mortgage.

Re: in a strange twist of fate

[UnknownSoldier]

I dispise MS and Facebook as much as the next guy but show me bug-free code and I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. However your point about the absymal lack of Quality Assurance is with merit considering the resources these have to do a better job of testing.

Re:Simple very effective solution

[Thanshin]

Unless the Root DNS server has acquired conscience and is posting as AC on Slashdot.

Meh

[CuteSteveJobs]

NSA will pay me twice that much! :)

Re:Meh

[VortexCortex]

No they will not. They will pay the rate going on the black market, for the exploits they purchase.

I agree with the general gist, but if you're marketing to the NSA, you're also marketing to all the other black market exploit buyers. The price can be far higher depending on the exploit. Interestingly, this means the NSA is helping support the exploit vector black market, and this is a threat to national security...