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Security Team Reportedly Collects $1M iOS 9 Bug Bounty

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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A team of unnamed security researchers are now $1 million richer.

The researchers apparently discovered a way to break into Apple's new mobile operating system, iOS 9, netting them the huge payout from controversial Washington D.C.-based start-up Zerodium, which buys and sells security zero-day exploits. In a Twitter post Monday, Zerodium congratulated the winners of its Million Dollar iOS 9 Bug Bounty challenge, but kept the identity of the researchers — and details of the winning exploit — under wraps.

Zerodium did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the winning flaw or team.

Zerodium launched the contest late last month, offering three $1 million rewards for remote iOS 9 exploits. The company promised $1 million to each individual or team that submitted an "exclusive, browser-based, and untethered jailbreak" for the OS powering Apple's new iPhones.

"Apple iOS, like all operating system[s], is often affected by critical security vulnerabilities," Zerodium said in its announcement. "However due to the increasing number of security improvements and the effectiveness of exploit mitigations in place, Apple's iOS is currently the most secure mobile OS.

"But don't be fooled, secure does not mean unbreakable, it just means that iOS has currently the highest cost and complexity of vulnerability exploitation," the company continued. "And here's where the Million Dollar iOS 9 Bug Bounty comes into play."

It's no surprise Zerodium is keeping mum about the flaw. The company's founder, Chaouki Bekrar, has a history of selling exploits to the highest bidder, rather than disclosing issues to the manufacturer.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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