Ethical Hackers Donate 1,000,000 Air Miles To Charity (offensi.com)

An anonymous reader writes:Certified ethical hackers at Offensi.com identified a bug allowing remote code execution on one of United Airlines' sites, and submitted their findings to the airline's "bug bounty" program. After a fix was placed into production, their team was awarded 1,000,000 Mileage Plus air miles, which they say was accompanied by an email informing them that the IRS would consider their award as $20,000 of taxable income. "If after evaluating the taxable amount you choose not to accept your award, you are also able to donate your award to charity," the e-mail explained. The hackers ultimately chose to distribute their air miles among three charities -- the Ronald McDonald house, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Casa de Esperanza de los Ninos Organization.
Another security researcher complained in November that United failed to close a serious vulnerability he'd identified for almost six months.

Comments

Gov't discouraging white-hat behavior

[Anonymous Coward]

the IRS would consider their award as $20,000 of taxable income

Yet another reason to sell exploits on the black market instead of disclosing them responsibly.

Re:Gov't discouraging white-hat behavior

[Anonymous Coward]

You can pay the tax on money with part of the money.
You can't pay the tax on miles with miles.

Re:What's wrong with that?

[K. S. Kyosuke]

I thought we invented money to fix the problems with barter?

Re:Ronald McDonald?

[Anonymous Coward]

I really hate McDonald's from their anti smoking campaigns to the anti gun bullshit but this house charity is probably the only thing that allows me to patronize their restaurants.

- Hates anti-smoking campaigns
- Hates "anti-gun bullshit"
- Patronizes McDonalds' "restaurants"

This is the most subtly redneck trash comment I've ever seen on Slashdot. Well done!