Our security teams work around the clock to help protect every person and organization on the planet from security threats. We also know that security is a team sport, and that’s why we also partner with the global security community through our bug bounty programs to proactively identify and mitigate potential issues before our customers are impacted. Unique perspectives from the brightest security minds add another layer to our overall strategy to protect our ecosystem. By incentivizing high-impact research, we raise the security bar for everyone.  

Today, we are building on that history of partnership and expanding our bug bounty programs with the Zero Day Quest. This new hacking event will be the largest of its kind, with an additional $4 million in potential awards for research into high-impact areas, specifically cloud and AI. Zero Day Quest will provide new opportunities for the security community to work hand in hand with Microsoft engineers and security researchers – bringing together the best minds in security to share, learn, and build community as we work to keep everyone safe.  

The quest begins today with a research challenge, where vulnerability submissions within targeted scenarios during the event are eligible for multiplied bounty awards. Submissions can also qualify researchers for a spot in the onsite hacking event in Redmond, WA, in 2025.  

To advance AI security, starting today we will offer double AI bounty awards. We will also offer researchers direct access to the Microsoft AI engineers focused on developing secure AI solutions, and our AI Red Team. This unique opportunity will allow participants to enhance their skills with cutting-edge tools and techniques and work with Microsoft to raise the bar for AI security across the ecosystem – making everyone safer. Register for a training session with the Microsoft AI Red Team today.  

In alignment with our Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) approach, researchers will be encouraged to publicly discuss their findings once mitigated, with support from Microsoft through blogs, podcasts, and videos to ensure we can all learn and build on this work. As part of our Secure Future Initiative (SFI), we will transparently share critical vulnerabilities through the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program, even if they require no customer action. Learnings from the Zero Day Quest will be shared across Microsoft to help improve cloud and AI security - by default, by design, and in operations.  

This event is not just about finding vulnerabilities; it’s about fostering new and deepening existing partnerships between the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), product teams, and external researchers – raising the security bar for all. Join us in this exciting journey as we push the boundaries of cybersecurity and work together to create a safer digital world.

Tom Gallagher
VP of Engineering, Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC)