Apple just doubled the bet for security researchers everywhere. It has just announced the “next major chapter” in its Security Bounty program, which doubles the biggest reward to $2 million and could bring as much as $5 million for the most severe vulnerabilities.
This spurt of aggressive growth follows Apple’s having already paid out more than $35 million to 800 researchers who have assisted in finding security vulnerabilities throughout its ecosystem. It indicates Apple’s intention to remain a step ahead of sophisticated threats, especially mercenary spyware that aims to exploit high-risk individuals.
Apple Ups the Ante: $2 Million Top Bug Bounty and $5 Million Bonus for Elite Security Research
The headline figure sounds remarkable: $2 million for exploit chains that are “mercenary spyware-level” assaults. It’s the largest ever-confirmed transaction in the cybersecurity community for a vulnerability report. But it gets really interesting, Apple’s bonus scheme can increase these payouts to over $5 million in some cases.
Those who identify bugs that avoid Lockdown Mode, Apple’s ultra-secure mode that it sets up for high-risk users, can become eligible for these larger payouts. It does the same for bugs found in betas, prompting researchers to investigate future releases before millions of users do.
Apple isn’t done there. It has sharply ramped up rewards in several high-priority areas. Complete bypass of Gatekeeper, the macOS security component that verifies our programs prior to launching them, now comes with a $100,000 bounty.
Exploits that provide mass unauthorized access to iCloud may net researchers as much as $1 million though Apple contends, no successful exploit has been shown to work in either category to date.
This enhanced program encompasses more ground than ever. Apple incorporated a number of new vulnerability areas that represent new threats emerging in the security landscape.
One-click WebKit sandbox escapes are currently worth up to $300,000 to researchers. Their value resides especially in that they require minimal user cooperation any click on a malicious link can be enough to infect a device.
Apple Enhances Bug Bounty Program with $1M Payouts for Zero-Click Attacks and New ‘Target Flags’
Wireless proximity bugs that are triggered against any radio interface, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC, are worth a maximum of $1 million. Zero-click attacks that require no user activity and are among the most sophisticated threats to mobile security to date are handled in this category.
They show that Apple places emphasis on protecting against sophisticated remote attacks that have become the weapon of choice for state-sponsored attackers and commercial spyware purveyors.
Most revolutionary of the new additions to the program, perhaps, are the Target Flags, a brand new mechanism to help researchers systematically, objectively demonstrate the exploitability of vulnerabilities.
It involves showing remote code execution as well as Transparency, Consent, and Control feature bypasses, which are the app permission controls found on Apple devices.
Submissions made with Target Flags are eligible for fast-track awards, which entitle researchers to payment prior to Apple’s public release of a security patch.
This obviates a long-held grievance among bug bounty researchers, who may have to wait for several months to collect rewards as vendors fashion and release remediations.
The fast turnaround should provide an incentive to larger involvement amongst high-level security researchers who otherwise would sell to exploit brokers in the grey market.
In addition to monetary rewards, Apple is rolling out a humanitarian program aimed at civil society groups and vulnerable individuals. It will give 1,000 units of the iPhone 17 to organizations that advocate for individuals who are vulnerable to spyware invasions, journalists, advocates, politicians, and human rights advocates.
Memory Integrity & Million-Dollar Bounties: Apple Raises the Bar on Device Security
They also include Memory Integrity Enforcement, which Apple has called its best memory safety protection to date. It is a hardware-level security that serves as a crucial step to protecting against the most sophisticated of exploits.
Revamped Apple Security Bounty program kicks in come November 2025. Apple will subsequently release comprehensive documentation on its Security Research web pages, including the full reward tier list, enhanced vulnerability types, and extended bonus programs.
For security researchers, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collect massive payouts and be a party to the safety of billions of Apple users around the world. For the rest of us, it just means that Apple has real dollars behind its commitment to deliver the most secure consumer tech out there.
The proposition is simple: Apple needs the world’s best security researchers to collaborate as teammates, not foes—and it’s prepared to pay a premium to make that a reality.
