At the Pwn2Own hackathon, a group of good Hackers, also known as ethical hackers, found weaknesses in software from big companies like Tesla, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe. They were rewarded with over $730,000 for their discoveries.
One team, called Synacktiv, managed to find a way into Tesla's software that controls the car's systems. They used a hacking technique that earned them $200,000 and a new Tesla Model 3. This isn't the first time Synacktiv has found issues in Tesla's software; they've done it at three other hacking events before. Last year, another hacker was able to take remote control of 25 Tesla cars in different countries.
Confirmed!!! The @Synacktiv team used a single integer overflow to exploit the #Tesla ECU with Vehicle (VEH) CAN BUS Control. The win $200,000, 20 Master of Pwn points, and a new Tesla Model 3 (their second!). Awesome work as always. #Pwn2Own #P2OVancouver pic.twitter.com/FcB4fTiOa7
— Zero Day Initiative (@thezdi) March 20, 2024
Another hacker, Manfred Paul, targeted web browsers. He successfully hacked into Apple's Safari browser and was given $60,000. Paul didn't stop there. He also found ways into Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, adding another $42,500 to his winnings. He hinted on Twitter that he might try to hack another browser soon.
Seunghyun Lee also focused on Google Chrome and found a bug that let him hack into it, winning $60,000. AbdulAziz Hariri found a way to hack Adobe Reader by finding a bug and bypassing some security measures, earning him $50,000. A team from Devcore Research discovered bugs in Windows 11 that allowed them to take more control of the system, winning $30,000.
Hacking, especially when done ethically to find and fix software problems, can bring in a lot of money. For example, a program called HackerOne has paid out more than $300 million to hackers who report bugs. However, not all hackers are ethical. Last year, bad hackers stole over $1 billion through ransomware attacks.
Image: DIW-Aigen
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