Google to pay security researchers who find Android apps and Chrome extensions misusing user data

Google stated it will pay security researchers that find “verifiably and unambiguous evidence” of information abuse with its own platforms.

It’s part of the firm ’s efforts to catch those who misuse user information accumulated through Android apps or Chrome extensions — to prevent its own version of a scandal like Cambridge Analytica, which saw millions of Facebook profiles used to identify undecided voters during the U.S. presidential election in 2016.

Google said anyone who describes “situations where user information sold suddenly or is used, or repurposed within an manner is eligible for its data abuse bug bounty.

“If information abuse is identified associated with a app or Chrome extension, that app or extension may consequently be eliminated from Google Play or even Google Chrome Web Store,” read a post. “In the event of an app developer abusing access to Gmail restricted scopes, their API access will be removed. ” The company said abuse of its own developer APIs would fall under the scope of the insect storm.

Google said it isn’t even giving a reward table but a single report of information abuse could net $50,000 from bounties.

News of the expanded bounty comes from the aftermath of the DataSpii scandal, which saw browser extensions scrape and discuss information from millions of consumers . These Chrome extensions uploaded page names and addresses of every website a user visited, exposing sensitive information including patient information, tax returns, and travel itineraries.

Google has been forced to get involved and suspend the offending Chrome extensions.

Instagram recently expanded its bug bounty to include misused user information following a spate of Information incidents,

After information episodes, Instagram expands its bug bounty

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