Microsoft says researchers submitted almost 700 cases across the Zero Day Quest 2026 research challenge and live hacking event, earning a combined $2.3 million in awards. The company also reports that the work helped identify and remediate more than 80 high-impact cloud and AI vulnerabilities. Those are Microsoft’s reported figures, not independently audited totals.
What Microsoft reported from Zero Day Quest 2026
In an April 13, 2026 results post, Microsoft’s Security Response Center (MSRC) said the two parts of Zero Day Quest together produced almost 700 submitted cases and $2.3 million in awards. MSRC said the research helped identify and remediate more than 80 high-impact Cloud and AI security vulnerabilities. Microsoft’s results announcement attributes these outcomes to the combined challenge and event.
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Microsoft also said participants represented more than 20 countries and ranged from high school students to college professors. It described findings involving identity controls and tenant isolation, including critical paths involving credential exposure, server-side request forgery (SSRF) chains, and cross-tenant access. The post does not provide an independent award-by-award breakdown or external audit of the totals.
Two ways to take part
Zero Day Quest had an open research challenge and a separate invitation-only live hacking event. They were connected, but not interchangeable: researchers could submit qualifying research through the open challenge, while the live event selected a limited group for focused collaboration with Microsoft teams.
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| Format | Who could participate | Timing and format |
|---|---|---|
| Research Challenge | Open to everyone, subject to program rules and eligible-submission requirements | A qualifying research challenge; the results post reports its awards together with live-event awards, not as a separate total |
| Live Hacking Event | Invitation-only; Microsoft said it could invite up to 45 researchers through prior MSRC award criteria or qualifying challenge performance | February 17, 2026, 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time, through March 18, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time |
The 45 figure was a maximum invitation capacity, not a reported count of attendees. Challenge-based invitations depended on bounty awarded for eligible in-scope cases. Microsoft’s Live Hacking Event page describes the selection criteria and event schedule.
What the $2.3 million does—and does not—mean
The $2.3 million is Microsoft’s combined award figure for the qualifying research challenge and live event. It is not a published payout solely for the in-person event, and Microsoft’s results post does not state a separate award total for each format.
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The live-event page also describes time-limited flash challenges, including awards of up to $250,000 for specified scenarios. That is a maximum for particular flash-challenge scenarios, not the overall contest payout or a guaranteed award for a participant.
Scope, safeguards, and Microsoft’s stated impact
The live-event program areas listed by Microsoft included Azure, Azure DevOps, Defender, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, Identity, M365, Copilot, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. Researchers were expected to follow the applicable Rules of Engagement and test only in authorized environments.
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Microsoft says researchers demonstrated potential impact without accessing customer data or other tenants’ systems. The results post says findings informed remediation planning, detection and isolation strategies, protections across identity, tenant, and service boundaries, and security earlier in development. Microsoft connects this work to its Secure Future Initiative; these are the company’s account of the findings’ operational value.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What prospective researchers should check
Zero Day Quest sits within Microsoft’s broader vulnerability bounty and coordinated disclosure efforts. Before testing, researchers should consult the applicable program scope and rules rather than assume that any Microsoft service or production environment is authorized.
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- Review the event page for event-specific scope, eligibility, definitions of eligible submissions, and in-scope and out-of-scope vulnerabilities.
- Use Microsoft’s MSRC Researcher Resource Center for researcher guidance.
- Check the Bounty Programs page and applicable terms, including Microsoft Bounty Terms and Conditions, Safe Harbor policy, and any additional event terms.
Microsoft says public write-ups are supported after mitigation and that critical issues receive CVEs. Researchers should follow the relevant disclosure and program instructions for an individual finding.
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