Apple opens up bug bounty program with rewards totaling over $1 million

Apple is finally expanding its bug bounty program and everyone is invited. The move was first announced back in August. The program was previously invite-only but has since changed after catching heat for low payouts and questionable incentives to non-invitees.

Apple’s bug bounty program is now open to all security researchers and covers platform programs such as: iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, iPadOS and iCloud. And, there’s a big payout. Researchers can earn up to $1 million for finding a bug – a huge jump from its initial $200,000 maximum.

Crowdsourced security — Being Apple comes with a lot of threats and risks to our data. In a blog post, Apple noted it’s “commitment to security” and “priority to resolve confirmed issues as quickly as possible in order to best protect customers.” Bugs could range from lock screen bypasses to unauthorized access.

As for the future — Data threats are always on the rise. Apple is taking a step in the right direction and hopefully other tech companies will follow suit. After all, it’s not about them, but protecting our data.