Google will pay bug hunters up to $1.5m if they can hack its Titan M chip
.png)
Google announced last week that it is willing to dish out bug bounty cash rewards of up to $1.5 million if security researchers find and report bugs in the Android operating system that can also compromise its new Titan M security chip.
Launched last year, the Titan M chip is currently part of Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 devices. It's a separate chip that's included in both phones and is dedicated solely to processing sensitive data and processes, like Verified Boot, on-device disk encryption, lock screen protections, secure transactions, and more.
Google says that if researchers manage to find "a full chain remote code execution exploit with persistence" that also compromises data protected by Titan M, they are willing to pay up to $1 million to the bug hunter who finds it.
If the exploit chain works against a preview version of the Android OS, the reward can go up to $1.5 million.
Google is willing to give the larger payout for a bug in a preview version because it allows the company to fix a bug before the Android OS is shipped to real-world devices.
The company's move comes after earlier this year, private companies that acquired Android exploits had increased payouts for Android bugs to $2.5 million, making it the first time Android bugs were worth more than iOS exploits on the private market.
At the time, Chaouki Bekrar, CEO of private bug acquisition program Zerodium, told ZDNet that his company had increased payouts because Android devices had become harder to hack due to the constant flow of security features that Google has added to the OS, along with contributions from Samsung.
Today's announcement comes as Google also increased bug bounty payouts across the board for the entire Android Vulnerability Rewards Program (VRP).
Until today, the maximum vulnerability payout was $200,000 for "a remote exploit chain leading to a TrustZone or Verified Boot compromise."
Since the Android VRP's launch in 2015, nobody has earned this top reward, and chances are low that no one will be able to hack Android running on a Titan M chip either.
Remote exploits -- that work without the attacker having physical access to a device -- are hard to create, as most attack vectors such as networking protocols have been plugged. Even if an attacker/researcher finds a remote attack, gaining boot persistence is another major hurdle that nobody has cracked.
"We've seen two complete full-chain RCEs," a Google spokesperson told ZDNet in an interview yesterday when we asked how common are vulnerability reports for remotely exploitable bugs.
"They both came from the same researcher. The majority of exploit chains submitted are local rather than remote," the Google spokesperson said.
The researcher is Guang Gong, of Alpha Lab, Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. One of these two RCEs exploits chains has also helped Guang net the highest bug reward in 2019.
"This report detailed the first reported 1-click remote code execution exploit chain on the Pixel 3 device," Google said.
"Guang Gong was awarded $161,337 from the Android Security Rewards program and $40,000 by Chrome Rewards program for a total of $201,337," it added.
"The $201,337 combined reward is also the highest reward for a single exploit chain across all Google VRP programs."
But besides introducing a $1.5 million reward for Titan M remote hacks and increasing bug bounties across the board, Google is also adding another bug reporting category.
The OS maker says it's willing to pay up to $500,000 for bug reports involving data exfiltration and lock screen bypasses, depending on the bug's complexity.
Google's willingness to increase bug bounty payouts is certainly rooted in the company's confidence in the fact that Android is secure enough not to fall pray to easy hacks.
Either way, Google has not been shy and has been one of the companies with the largest payouts on the market. Since the Android VRP's launch in 2015, Google said it paid researchers up to $4.5 million, with $1.5 million being paid in the past 12 months alone.
"Over 100 participating researchers have received an average reward amount of over $3,800 per finding (46% increase from last year). On average, this means we paid out over $15,000 (20% increase from last year) per researcher," Google said.
source zdnet
Industry: Cyber Security
Latest Jobs
-
- Senior Client Microsoft Security Delivery Consultant - Hybrid (London | Remote)
- London
- N/A
-
Senior Client Microsoft Security Delivery Consultant - Hybrid (London | Remote) We are seeking an experienced technical Security Consultant to help clients deploy and enhance their cyber defences across Microsoft and vulnerability management technologies. You will work with enterprise customers to deliver tailored solutions across threat detection, endpoint protection and exposure management, ensuring security platforms are efficient, integrated and aligned with operational goals. Whilst you won't do the design yourself- you will work alongside technical Presales to document, agree and then deliver the solution. You will have experience leading delivery the implementation and improvement projects, providing hands-on support with configuration, integration and optimisation. You will assess existing environments, recommend enhancements and guide clients on best practice to strengthen visibility and control. Strong experience with SIEM, XDR and vulnerability tooling (Microsoft & Tenable ecosystems ideal) Understanding of Azure security, identity and access controls Background in consulting or project-based cyber delivery Clear communication skills with the ability to engage senior stakeholders Extra points if you have the SC-100. You must be eligible to achieve UK Security Clearance to be considered for this role.
-
- Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting | UK - South East
- London
- N/A
-
Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting - Financial Services | UK - South East. New Role due to Growth We are looking for an experienced Account Director to develop and expand existing relationships across the financial services sector, working with investment firms, asset managers, private equity groups and strategic partners to deliver intelligent cyber consulting and a bespoke Cyber product offerings. You will act as a trusted advisor, helping organisations strengthen digital resilience, manage third-party and regulatory risk and adopt a proactive approach to cyber assurance. Key Responsibilities Manage a defined portfolio of financial clients, understanding business priorities and aligning tailored cyber solutions. Drive new client engagement while nurturing existing partnerships through a consultative, long-term approach. Present the benefits of advanced cyber services including threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident readiness, and continuous risk monitoring. Collaborate with technical and delivery teams to ensure smooth engagement from proposal through to implementation and ongoing support. Prepare proposals, negotiate commercial terms, and clearly articulate value and business outcomes. Build trusted relationships at senior and board level. Ideal Profile Strong background in cybersecurity, consulting, or risk management within financial services. Skilled communicator with proven success managing and growing key accounts. Able to translate complex technical insight into commercial and strategic value for clients. Confident engaging with senior stakeholders and decision makers. Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London
- London
- N/A
-
SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London New opportunity created through continued growth. We’re looking for a SOC Analyst (Level 2) to strengthen a growing managed security team. You’ll work hands-on with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR, investigating alerts, responding to incidents, and helping improve how clients stay protected. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys unravelling security events, thinking critically under pressure, and making a real difference day to day. What you’ll do · Investigate and respond to security activity across SIEM and endpoint tools · Analyse network and log data to uncover real threats · Support automation initiatives to streamline response processes · Help maintain visibility, data flow, and performance across SOC platforms What you’ll need · Practical experience using Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR · Confident working with KQL or similar query languages · Understanding of attacker tactics and response techniques · SC-200 certifications would be nice. · Experience supporting multiple customer environments Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- Senior SOC Engineer - UK - New role due to growth
- London
- N/A
-
Senior SOC Engineer – New role due to growth We are hiring a Senior SOC Engineer to take the lead across security operations for a growing managed service. You will lead detection, response and onboarding activity across multiple clients, helping shape how the SOC evolves. Expect variety; from fine-tuning alerts and threat hunting to supporting customers and mentoring junior analysts. What you’ll bring · Strong experience across SIEM, EDR, and threat detection tools · Confident working with customers in a managed service environment · Skilled in scripting or query languages such as KQL or PowerShell · Knowledge of frameworks like NIST, ISO27001, MITRE ATT&CK · Calm communicator with a problem-solving mindset · Experience with Azure Lighthouse or delegated access models · Prior involvement in automation or SOC improvement projects Location: South East England- Hybrid role Please note: Sponsorship cannot be offered now or in the future.