Twitterjust launcheda bug bounty program . That ’s a smart move , and it ’s a move Apple should watch . Any prominent technical school fellowship that offers package should also offer a bug bounty programme to protect it . Now is the perfect prison term to infer the note value of giving hackers a reason to aid .
The creator of iBrute , possibly the tool used to slip those famous person nude photos , told Forbeshe would ’ve forewarned Apple for right recompense . Whilewe still do n’t roll in the hay exactlyhow hackers got their hired man on those photos , Apple has n’t denied that iBrute tool was used . Either room , there was an exploit out there that made the variety of targeted attackthat Apple believes occurredin the celebrity photo thievery possible . Someone know about it , but they had no incentive to admonish the company .
Why not ? Facebook , Google , Microsoft , and now Twitter have all realized the note value of bounty program , as havemany other small organizations — these programs are smart for startup as well as great player . startup often experience increment that outpaces their security capabilities , and tip on outsiders can help stave off catastrophe .
confidential , for representative , was capable to patcha pretty serious vulnerabilitybefore anyone was capable to exploit it because of its bug bounty program . Meanwhile , startup who dismiss outdoor aid , like Snapchat , have know big security breaches — in part because ofits hostile attitudetowards its drudge .
Bigger companies have it tougher . When you ’re huge and handle million of hoi polloi ’s data , it ’s operose to admit that perchance you are n’t doing it absolutely . Just pretending everything is air tight can seem like the better option . Until it is n’t . To be fair , Apple is n’t completely dismissive : It hand a hackeran internshipin the past times , and doesprovide a pagefor developers to cover bug . But it ’s not enough .
Bug bounties are n’t a silver hummer ; companies ca n’t just offer a fatty reinforcement and call it a day . Anticipating rudimentary vulnerability is crucial , but no software package will ever be entirely safe , and pretending otherwise is foolhardy . The realness is , whoever stole those naked word picture probably would ’ve figured out a way to get them whether or not iBrute was around ( they may not have even used that particular tool , thereare plenty of other options ) . But while a company ca n’t entirely eradicate the potency for bugs , it can control is how it join forces with the people that find the bug .
I asked Apple why they did n’t have a bug bounteousness program , and I ’m still wait a response . I mistrust it ’s probably related to the ship’s company ’s notoriously privateness - minded culture . It may also be for a reason place out by information security expert Kenneth van Wyk : “ I ca n’t help oneself but think that the bug finders are in heart and soul oblige a metaphorical gas to the point of the software companies by saying , ‘ pay up or I ’m go to publish this vulnerability to the world , ' ” he wrotein Computerworld . The way Wyk sees bounty , and the way Apple may see it , is akin to a kidnaper demanding ransom money .
The thing is , people are last to find microbe . And yes , bug bounty programs do acknowledge that those citizenry have leveraging over a company . There will be always people who need to exploit security department vulnerabilities for their own purposes , but some people would settle for a piffling credit ( and Johnny Cash ) over the trouble of orchestrating a monumental outflow of shocking photos . And when companies switch the often insular and hubristic position some technical school company have towards security , that can happen . Facebook , for representative , has given687 bug bounty awardssince it start its programme in 2012 . That ’s a lot of assistant , recognized . And who knows how many catastrophe fend off .
chair range : Guilherme Tavares / Flickr
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