A superstar Chinese hacker just won $112,000 from Google, its largest bug bounty ever

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A superstar Chinese hacker just won $112,000 from Google, its largest bug bounty ever

Pixel 2

Jeff Chiu/AP

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  • Google just awarded its largest bug bounty ever to a Chinese researcher named Guang Gong.
  • Gong discovered a security issue that affected Pixel phones and received a total payout of $112,500 from Google.
  • But Gong is a pro at hacking Pixel phones - his team gained control of a Pixel phone in 60 seconds at the annual computer-hacking contest Pwn2Own, resulting in a $120,000 prize.


A Chinese security researcher just received Google's largest bug bounty ever.

Google announced this week it awarded $112,500 to Guang Gong, a researcher who works for Chinese security giant Qihoo 360. It's the largest amount Google has awarded since increasing its top payouts for bug bounties in June.

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In August, Gong submitted a working remote exploit chain, or remote attack, on Google's Pixel phone, which could be used to steal data or introduce malware onto a device. Google said on its developers blog that it patched the bug in a December update.

Google has been working to ensure that Pixel phones are secure, both on the hardware and software front. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have tamper-resistant hardware, and Google says it would be difficult for hackers to decrypt your data without knowing your password first.

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But Gong and his team at Qihoo 360 are pros are hacking the Pixel by now. At Pwn2Own 2016, a prestigious annual hacking contest, the team cracked the first-generation Pixel in 60 seconds. The team won a cash prize of $120,000 for its efforts, eventually netting a total of $520,000 in prize money at the contest for breaching a variety of software services, including Adobe Flash.

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