Startups are offering millions to hackers who can discover zero-day vulnerabilities in popular devices and apps. Crowdfense, for instance, offers up to $30 million, with iPhone exploits fetching $7 million and Android exploits $5 million.
Exploits for Chrome, Safari, WhatsApp, and iMessage can earn hackers between $3 and $5 million. These companies sell the exploits to organizations, including governments, for tracking criminals. Google reports that Commercial Surveillance Vendors were behind 75% of known zero-day exploits targeting Google products in 2023.
Tech companies are enhancing their defenses against zero-days, with notable investments reducing their prevalence.