The (bug) bounty hunters of India

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Hello readers,

Happy new year and welcome back to the office, dear reader. Chances are, you’re not quite ready to get back to work just yet, eh? If only you could get a little outside help with your tasks.

In one sense, some of the world’s biggest tech companies do enjoy such a privilege via tech bug hunting. Ethical hackers are making like Wild West lawmen and gunfighters, collecting bounties on software errors they find on platforms such as Facebook and Google or Apple’s products.

Many of these bug hunters come from India, where ethical hacking is shaping up to be a viable career path.

Today we look at:

• The burgeoning ethical hacking scene in India
• What a SPAC is and why it could be a good alternative to IPOs
• Other newsy highlights such as the delisting of some large Chinese companies on the New York Stock Exchangeand developments in the Samsung bribery saga

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PREMIUM SUMMARY

Extermination season

Facebook paid out almost US$2 million in bug bounty payouts in 2020, while Google stumped up US$6.5 million in 2019. Ethical hacking can be a lucrative business, particularly in India – the country was among the top five geographies in terms of bounties earned in 2019.

• Follow the money: Once people got wind of how there was good money to be made in this niche, online and offline workshops began mushrooming across India. As such, the ethical hacking community has rapidly blown up over the last five to six years.
• Insecurity – in more ways than one: Unfortunately, some companies are more concerned about negative press than addressing security vulnerabilities and may even threaten legal action when an ethical hacker brings up an issue.
• An evolving field: Bug hunting is increasingly being seen as a recession-proof career, but ethical hackers need to keep up with the latest tech. For example, those who take the time to specialize in blockchain and crypto are poised to ride the next big wave.

Full story: The stunning rise of India’s ethical hacking industry

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PREMIUM SUMMARY

Everything you need to know about SPACs

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Fintech will play a key role post-Covid-19

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