Google will pay security researchers to find bugs

Starting this year, Google will hire security researchers to look for bugs. Various research grants will become available for which interested parties can apply. Last year, Google paid out more than $1.5 million to bug finders.

On its blog, Google explains its plans for security researchers who help find bugs in software. Because internal security research is making it increasingly difficult to find errors in software, Google wants to pay researchers in advance. In this way, they should remain motivated to search for bugs: normally payment is only made if a leak is found.

Google is making an amount of $3,113.70 per researcher available. That is converted about 2750 euros. Scholarships will become available for various security topics. Researchers can register for the subject in which they are interested. Anyone who gets paid from Google for research work will still receive an amount if a bug is actually found.

Last year, Google paid about $1.5 million to researchers who found bugs. Converted that is about 1.33 million euros. About 200 researchers were rewarded for finding about 500 bugs. The largest amount paid for finding a bug is 133,000 euros. The finder was also offered an internship.