Microsoft has announced the Zero Day Quest, an expanded bug bounty initiative offering $4 million in potential rewards for identifying vulnerabilities in its cloud and artificial intelligence technologies, according to Forbes.
The program seeks to incentivize high-impact security research while strengthening collaborations with external researchers. The challenge includes a unique research component where vulnerability submissions under specific scenarios are eligible for multiplied bounty awards. Participants may also qualify for an onsite hacking event at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters in 2025. Additionally, Microsoft has introduced doubled AI bounty payments and direct access to its AI engineers and penetration testers. Strict rules of engagement govern the challenge. Actions such as accessing unauthorized data, denial-of-service testing, or phishing attacks are prohibited.
Tom Gallagher, Vice Pesident of Engineering at the Microsoft Security Response Center, stressed that the program extends beyond discovering vulnerabilities. "It’s about fostering new and deepening existing partnerships between the Microsoft Security Response Center, product teams, and external researchers."
