Why Did Facebook Pay Hackers $40,000?
- Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:00pm by
Liz Klimas
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Hackers love a good challenge — and one that pays is even better.
Three weeks ago, Facebook announced that it would pay hackers to find the holes in their system. As of Monday, Facebook has dished out $40,000 to what they call “independent researchers.”
According to a post by Joe Sullivan, Facebook’s chief security officer, on Facebook’s website, they launched this Bounty Bug Program find the flaws in software that are there due to “software complexity, programming errors, changes in requirements, errors made in bug tracking, limited documentation or bugs in software development tools.” Facebook continues:
Because bug reports are often complicated and can involve complex legal issues, we chose our words carefully when announcing the program. Perhaps because of this, there have been several inaccurate reports about how the program works. For example, some stories said that the maximum payment would be $500, when in fact that is the minimum amount we will pay. In fact, we’ve already paid a $5,000 bounty for one really good report. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve had to deal with bogus reports from people who were just looking for publicity.
. . .
At the end of the day, we feel great knowing that we’ve launched another strong effort to help provide a secure experience on Facebook. A bug bounty program is a great way to engage with the security research community, and an even better way to improve security across a complex technological environment. Facebook truly does have the world’s best neighborhood watch program, and this program has proven that yet again for us.
According to PC World, Facebook isn’t the only company looking for “independent researchers” to try their hand hacking into their system. Google and Mozilla have done it too. Google for example was so confident Chrome was solid, that it offered hackers $20,000 to find the bugs.
[H/T PC World]
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rwslippey
Posted on September 8, 2011 at 3:44amMost would be concerned that companies such as facebook or google are asking skilled people to “hack” their code. It is and should be a common practice. I mean think about it this way, wouldn’t you rather have someone hack in and find these errors and security holes and report them, than be exploited yourself. Say for instance your banks website, They hire personnel to test their security settings, most likely on a development server not a live server though. Ditto to Microsoft for all of their new operating system releases, Win XP comes out it goes through massive beta testing, then gets repaired and released again. I’d rather someone legit to find the security issues, than someone with bad intentions.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 11:08amThis “white hat” hacker practice is nothing new. Many companies do it.
However, it has lots of ethical issues. Not the least of which is the implied endorsement of “hacking” thereby legitmizing the practice. Then there is the possibility of extortion. And, lastly, the possibility of paid coders/programmers intentionally leaving holes and tipping friends to it for reward payola.
Smacks of poor business practices.
Better to use a paid consultancy who is open and above board, not anyonymous teenagers in their mother’s basement, kidding themselves that THEY are the good guys.
With the proliferation of technology, too many have come to think of themselves as “programmers,” and companies are hiring them SO VERY FAST, that their complete lack of experience never comes into question, only their ability to grind out “ADEQUATE” code. With experience comes an appreciation of security and an insight into security flaws/gaps/weaknesses/threats/vulnerabilities.
Experience is something that cannot be taught, not even at Berkeley or Stanford. (The mother ships/breeding broods of Silicon Valley’s liberal tech force.) All the while, they belittle anyone over 30.
Of course, they are laughing all the way to the bank, so who am I to question them?
Bigger problem is that Silicon Valley swallows up all the talented with big $$$, and the U.S. Govt gets those who will work for govt scale $, or, pols BUY donations from mediocre pvt consultancies with OUR money.
.
Report Post ».
Samps
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 10:42amthis isnt news, the tech industry has been doing this for years
Report Post »HD Veteran
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 7:05pmAgreed.
Report Post »ConservativeChristianB1954
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 7:34amUsing crooks to find crooks. Don’t like this idea one bit
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 4:57amNo reassurance here. No extra feeling of security.
Report Post »This newly harvested “intelligence” can be used in many ways and for many purposes. Takes a true BELIEVER to feel secure here. Sorry, I don’t belong to the Church of Facebook.
GlennBeckFTW
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 3:28amhttp://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20090328-71/anonymous-facebooks-going-down-november-5/
Report Post »GlennBeckFTW
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 3:27amWow they must be real scared about Nov. 5th… http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20090328-71/anonymous-facebooks-going-down-november-5/
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 11:19pmand now facebook can add more names of potential hackers to the list it is compiling to give to the government
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 1:48amThat’s what I was thinking Psychosis—Robert Fibbs is working there now, isn’t he? What better way to keep track of your opposition than to know what they do and what they “like”.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on August 31, 2011 at 9:15amlol @ “give” to the government.
Facebook IS the government.
It’s already common knowledge that Google/Youtube/Facebook are run by US intelligence agencies.
I try not to use Google or Youtube and have NEVER signed up on Facebook.
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on September 5, 2011 at 3:10amLOL!!!!!!!……………..Do you know something I don’t?……….Just say yes…….LOL!!!!!!!
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 10:53pmThis is how hackers should be doing things… they can still probe, investigate and challenge, but doing it for the right reason – to help, and to get paid as well, its a good thing.
My hat off to the “White Hate Hackers”
Report Post »goobert
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 12:11amYea this is the way to do it. Google started it. And it pays when someone finds a bug instead of doing something more dangerous.
Report Post »dr_funk
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 1:43amWhite hats, black hats, and gray hats.
Report Post »Metalist
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:36pmOne word Blaze: Proofreader
Report Post »ForTheRepublic
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 10:17pmproof reader is 2 words
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 10:49pmJust for the halibut, and boredom… I looked up “proofreader” and “proof reader.”
Me thinks the METALIST wins! Lol. But I did see it written as “proof-reader.”
Jus’ fer fun…
Report Post »BBomber66
Posted on August 30, 2011 at 2:40amThanks Yepi. I was going to verify it, but don’t have to now.
Report Post »timej31
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:32pmHercules Hercules Hercules says Mama Klump
Report Post »eyestoseeearstohear
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:25pmNow….everyone who KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THIS….RAISE YOUR HAND.
YEP…YOU ARE RIGHT!
Report Post »N1GHT
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:24pmLOL Bowyer I had to read the headline a few times was like ; NO WAY edit fail….
Report Post »GardenoftheGods
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:24pmI’m with Junior1971….Facebook blows comepletley!!
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:23pmA Red Cell operation is one of the best ways to expose vulnerabilities. Gotta give Facebook kudos for this.
Report Post »junior1971
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:18pmFacebook blows!
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 10:03pmAmen, Facebook is a Narcissists best friend. It’s so freaking boring. I keep in touch with people that I want to keep in touch with. I don’t give a crap about everyone I went to High School with, but I wish them all well. Just leave me the hell alone, I don’t care! LOL
I predict in the next two years, Facebook starts to oddly remind a lot of us of Myspace.
Report Post »Bowyer31
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:11pm“Why Did Facebook PaY Hackers”…leave off the “s” currently in “Pays” so we don’t get accused of being illiterate flat-earthers by the MSM.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 10:06pmC’mon people, we all know the earth is flat, and the sun revolves around us. Oh yes, and global warming is real, although it should really be called flat earth warming since we all know the planet couldn’t be round as you would fall off the bottom if it were.
Report Post »Libby Tarian
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 9:03pmHow many reasons do you need to not be “out there” with social media?
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