Want to get paid for having your Android device crash?
Last year, Google paid more than $1.5 million to security researches who help make their products more stable and secure, but now any user can partake in the fun. Google announced the launch of Android Security Rewards, a program that will pay nearly $40,000 to users of the Nexus 6 phone and the Nexus 9 tablet for reporting bugs.
In order for a user s bug to qualify for a reward, the user has to be the first to report it, the bug could not already be publicly disclosed, and it has to be more involved than a phishing attack or a simple app crash. If the user finds a severe enough bug that is deemed worth reporting, they can fill out a form detailing what happened and upload a bug report. Google encourages all users to report their bugs even if they are not sure it s eligible, and if the bug is serious enough, Google will pay the user for their troubles.
Rewards are based on a scale based on severity and have multipliers. A low severity bug, such as access to normal level security features without permission or a temporary denial-of-service, begins at a $500 payout. Critical severity bugs, such as a permanent device failure without re-flashing, can land the user a whopping $38,000.
So while it will take more than merely poking at your phone a bunch to reap the profits, this program should incentivize users to help Google build a more and secure system.
At top: Google Android handout photo
