You Can Earn US $1,000 By Entering Into This Google Challenge & Make Android Apps More Secure

We all know that Google's Android operating system is the most widely used OS in the world. Sadly, it's also one of the most exploited platforms with rampant security leaks!

Good news is that you -- yes, you, dear reader -- can make Android more secure. And Google will pay you a cool US $1,000 for your trouble.

Google Play -- the Android app store from where we download all our favourite smartphone apps -- has announced its Security Reward Program. By collaborating with HackerOne -- a reputed website which reports security leaks in popular apps and platforms -- and popular Android app developers, Google wants to incentivize Android and Play Store security research in a bug bounty model.

A bug bounty model is where users or developers can report a bug to the ecosystem operators in return for a reward. Apart from Google, Facebook, Uber, Twitter, and many other technology companies run bug bounties where everyone is encouraged to report security holes in their systems in exchange of monetary prize.

REUTERS

Google's inviting users and developers to identify security holes ranging from (but not limited to) the following scenarios:

Where the hacker gains full control of system (where it can download and execute arbitrary code, native, Java code etc. Javascript). Where UI is manipulated to commit a transaction -- for example, causing a banking app to make money transfers on behalf of the user without their consent. Where a misleading webview is displayed to carry phishing attacks.

For the sake of security holes discovered in Google Play Store, the search engine giant is willing to offer US $1,000 as reward.

The goal of Google Play Security Reward Program is to further improve app security which will benefit developers, Android users, and the entire Google Play ecosystem.