Twitter publicly launched its HackerOne-powered bug bounty program on September 3, 2014. At launch, qualifying vulnerabilities could earn a minimum of $140, but payment was not automatic: Twitter considered severity and retained discretion over whether to pay and how much. The rules and payout figures below describe the historical program, not verified terms in effect today.
When did Twitter launch its bug bounty program?
Twitter announced the public program on September 3, 2014, using HackerOne to receive vulnerability reports. Contemporary coverage said the companies had already been working together for roughly three months. TechCrunch reported that launch coverage included Twitter.com, ads.twitter, mobile Twitter, TweetDeck, apps.twitter, and Twitter’s iOS and Android apps; SecurityWeek described the scope as twitter.com and its subdomains, plus mobile applications. These are descriptions of the launch-era scope, not a current asset list. (TechCrunch, September 3, 2014; SecurityWeek, September 4, 2014)
What kinds of bugs qualified under the 2014 rules?
SecurityWeek’s account of Twitter’s launch policy identified several qualifying vulnerability types:
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
- Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
- Remote code execution
- Unauthorized access to direct messages
- Unauthorized access to protected tweets
Reports also had to meet program conditions. The issue needed to be reported first, fall within the listed criteria, and remain undisclosed publicly until Twitter had an opportunity to fix it. Researchers were advised to use test accounts and avoid actions that could harm other users. Issues submitted before September 3, 2014 were not eligible for monetary rewards, according to SecurityWeek.
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What the launch policy excluded
SecurityWeek listed spam, social engineering of Twitter staff, physical attacks, vulnerabilities affecting only outdated software, and unverified reports from automated tools as out of scope. This is a historical account of the 2014 policy; it should not be used to decide whether a report qualifies under Twitter’s current program.
How much did Twitter pay?
At launch, the stated minimum reward was $140 for qualifying vulnerabilities. SecurityWeek reported that amounts could vary with severity and that Twitter reserved discretion over both whether to grant a reward and its amount. As the policy wording reproduced by SecurityWeek put it: “Reward amounts may vary depending upon the severity of the vulnerability reported. Twitter will determine in its discretion whether a reward should be granted and the amount of the reward. This is not a contest or competition.”
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In a 2016 retrospective covering the program’s first two years, Twitter reported the following historical figures:
| Measure | Twitter’s reported figure | Period and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Submissions | 5,171 from 1,662 researchers | First two years after launch |
| Total paid | $322,420 | First two years after launch |
| Average payout | $835 | Reported for that two-year period |
| Minimum payout | $140 | Reported in the 2016 retrospective |
| Highest payout | $12,040 | Reported in the 2016 retrospective |
| Resolved bugs publicly disclosed | 20% | After fixes, at the researcher’s request |
| Remote-code-execution offer | $15,000 minimum | Separate offer reported in 2016; Twitter said it had not yet received such a report |
These figures come from Twitter’s May 27, 2016 retrospective. They are snapshots from that period, not current program totals or payment terms. In particular, the $15,000 RCE offer was separate from the ordinary minimum reward.
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What did Twitter say the program accomplished?
Twitter’s 2016 retrospective said the program helped the company receive responsible disclosures and address vulnerabilities before exploitation. The examples it described included cross-site scripting in the Crashlytics Android application’s webview, HTTP response splitting involving attacker-controlled headers, and an insecure direct object reference that could allow deletion of other users’ credit cards. Those cases illustrate the range of issues researchers reported; they do not establish that the same products, vulnerabilities, or scope apply today.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are these Twitter bug bounty terms still current?
The launch reports and Twitter’s 2016 retrospective establish the program’s history, but do not establish its live status, accepted scope, or payment terms as of October 4, 2026. Before submitting research or relying on any reward figure, read the current official policy on Twitter’s HackerOne program page. Do not test systems or accounts outside the scope and rules currently published there.
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