Microsoft announced on Monday that over the past year it has paid out more than $20 million through its bug bounty programs.
Between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, the company received vulnerability reports through its 15 bug bounty programs from researchers across 64 countries.
Microsoft said it received 2,531 eligible reports, and 562 researchers have been awarded a total of over $20 million, with the largest single payout reaching $200,000.
[ Read: Will AI Kill the Bug Bounty Industry? ]
The total amount includes $2.3 million given to participants at the Zero Day Quest hacking contest. In addition, $800,000 was paid out through new initiatives, such as those targeting vulnerabilities in third-party and open source code.
