
A real macOS flaw worth $200K went unreported because Apple's bug bounty inbox was full of AI slop
Quick Answer
A serious macOS vulnerability, valued at $100K-$200K, went unreported due to Apple's bug bounty inbox being overwhelmed with low-quality AI-generated reports.
Quick Take
Italian startup Bynario discovered the flaw using ChatGPT but couldn't submit it, raising concerns about the future of bug bounty programs as Apple shifts to AI for vulnerability detection.
Key Points
- Apple's bug bounty program is overwhelmed by low-quality AI-generated reports.
- Bynario discovered a critical macOS vulnerability but couldn't report it.
- The estimated black-market value of the flaw is between $100K and $200K.
- Apple is using AI from Anthropic and OpenAI for vulnerability detection.
- Bug bounty programs may struggle as companies increasingly rely on AI.
Source Excerpt
Apple's bug bounty program is drowning in AI-generated bug reports. The company has capped submissions per researcher because fabricated reports are clogging the review pipeline. As a result, Italian startup Bynario was initially unable to report a serious macOS vulnerability worth up to $200,000 on the black market.
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