Many big data and technology companies consider "bug
bounty" programs – incentive-based initiatives that
reward "ethical" hackers who report data security bugs or
vulnerabilities – attractive and cost-effective tools for
weeding out security flaws.
Yet, bug bounty programs aren't a silver bullet for keeping
hackers at bay, but are only one potential aspect of a
comprehensive organizational cybersecurity program. And bug bounty
programs have hidden costs and traps for the unwary. Today, in Part
II of our series, we take a closer look at the thornier questions
confronting companies that adopt bug bounty programs.
As we previously
reported, "bug bounty" programs are on the rise, with
more and more companies offering incentives to so-called
"white hat" hackers who report data security bugs to
them. According to one report, the average reward for identifying a
security bug has risen to more than $2,000 on average. For many
companies, this is a small price to pay to
