Ethical Hacking News
Microsoft has announced its plans to overhaul its bug bounty program, adopting an "in scope by default" model that will reward researchers across all its products and services, regardless of whether a bounty program is established or not. This change marks a significant shift towards a more inclusive and expansive approach to bug bounty hunting.
Microsoft overhauls its bug bounty program to better incentivize and reward cybersecurity researchers. The new "in scope by default" model pays researchers for finding vulnerabilities across all products and services, regardless of bounty establishment. The change aims to strengthen Microsoft's security posture amid an evolving threat landscape. Researchers can now expect a level playing field, regardless of the project they're working on. The new policy incentivizes research on high-risk areas and fosters a more collaborative environment for security researchers.
Microsoft, one of the world's leading technology companies, has recently announced its plans to overhaul its bug bounty program in an effort to better incentivize and reward cybersecurity researchers who identify vulnerabilities in its products and services. This change marks a significant shift towards a more inclusive and expansive approach to bug bounty hunting, which is expected to benefit not only Microsoft but also the broader cybersecurity community.
The move comes after years of criticism from researchers and experts, who have long argued that Microsoft's previous approach to bug bounties was too prescriptive and limited in scope. Under the new model, known as "in scope by default," MSRC will pay researchers for finding vulnerabilities across all its products and services, regardless of whether a bounty program is established or not.
This change represents a significant departure from Microsoft's previous approach, which had been criticized for being slow to respond to submissions and often resulting in questionable triage conclusions. By adopting an "in scope by default" model, MSRC aims to strengthen its security posture amid an evolving threat landscape, particularly across cloud and AI services.
The new policy also ensures that researchers who identify vulnerabilities in third-party codebases will receive the same monetary award as if they were found in one of Microsoft's products. This means that researchers can expect a level playing field, regardless of whether they are working on a commercial or open-source project.
Furthermore, the shift towards an "in scope by default" bounty model aims to incentivize research on high-risk areas, particularly those that threat actors are most likely to exploit. By recognizing and rewarding diverse insights from security researchers, MSRC hopes to foster a more collaborative environment that encourages experts to share their knowledge and expertise.
The move is also expected to benefit new products and services that were previously not eligible for bounties. Under the previous model, researchers would have had to wait until a dedicated bounty program was established for a particular product or service before being able to participate. The new approach eliminates this barrier, allowing researchers to contribute to MSRC's bug bounty program immediately.
According to Tom Gallagher, VP of engineering at Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), the goal of the "in scope by default" approach is to strengthen the company's security posture and ensure that no vulnerability goes unaddressed. "Regardless of whether the code is owned and managed by Microsoft, a third party, or is open source, we will do whatever it takes to remediate the issue," Gallagher said.
The move also reflects Microsoft's increasing commitment to AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. With the growing importance of artificial intelligence in modern cybersecurity, the need for more effective bug bounty programs has never been greater. By adopting an "in scope by default" approach, MSRC is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend and attract top talent in the field.
Microsoft has paid out over $17 million in rewards last year through its bug bounty program and Zero Day Quest competition, demonstrating a significant investment in the company's cybersecurity research efforts. With the new policy, it is expected that spending will increase even further.
The updated approach also represents an important step forward for the broader cybersecurity community. By recognizing and rewarding diverse insights from security researchers, MSRC aims to foster a more collaborative environment that encourages experts to share their knowledge and expertise.
In conclusion, Microsoft's shift towards a more inclusive bug bounty program marks an exciting new era in cybersecurity research. With its "in scope by default" approach, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging trends in AI-powered cybersecurity and foster a more collaborative environment for security researchers around the world.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Micorsofts-Shift-Towards-a-More-Inclusive-Bug-Bounty-Program-A-New-Era-for-Cybersecurity-Research-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/12/microsoft_more_bug_payouts/
Published: Fri Dec 12 07:48:56 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
