Shopify’s Bug Bounty Program Raises Maximum Payout in 2022

In 2022, Shopify's Bug Bounty Program is doubling the maximum reward to $100,000 and moving key services into the highest severity level.

Jenn Newton
7 min readintermediate
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Overview

Shopify's Bug Bounty Program has significantly increased its maximum payout to $100,000 in 2022, reflecting the company's commitment to rewarding security researchers for identifying critical vulnerabilities. The article discusses improvements made to the program, highlights from 2021, and the importance of open-source security.

What You'll Learn

1

How to report a CVSS 10.0 issue to earn a maximum bounty of $100,000

2

Why Shopify's Bug Bounty Program emphasizes open-source security

3

When to consider services like Shopify Plus as Core assets for reporting

Key Questions Answered

What is the new maximum bounty amount for Shopify's Bug Bounty Program?
The new maximum bounty amount for Shopify's Bug Bounty Program is $100,000, which is effective immediately. This increase reflects Shopify's commitment to rewarding researchers for identifying critical vulnerabilities, particularly those rated with a CVSS score of 10.0.
How much did Shopify pay in bounties during 2021?
In 2021, Shopify paid out over $1 million in bounties, which was more than double the approximately $460,000 paid in 2020. This marked a significant milestone for the program, indicating increased engagement and successful reporting by security researchers.
What services are now classified as Core assets in Shopify's Bug Bounty Program?
Shopify Plus, arrive-server.shopifycloud.com, and shop.app are now classified as Core assets in the Bug Bounty Program. This means that High and Critical bugs in these services will be compensated according to the new bounty scale.
What improvements were made to the Bug Bounty Program in 2022?
In 2022, Shopify doubled the maximum bounty to $100,000 and moved several key services into the highest severity bracket. This aims to enhance the incentive for researchers to report impactful vulnerabilities and reflects a commitment to robust application security.

Key Statistics & Figures

$1 Million in Bounties Paid
over $1 million
This amount was paid out in 2021, marking a significant increase from the approximately $460,000 paid in 2020.
Percentage of Valid Reports
23%
Approximately 23% of incoming reports in 2021 were valid issues, an increase from 19% in 2020.
Average Bounty Amount
~$3,000
The average bounty awarded in 2021 was around $3,000, compared to approximately $2,070 in 2020.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Security researchers should focus on identifying CVSS 10.0 vulnerabilities to maximize their earnings under Shopify's Bug Bounty Program.
With the new maximum bounty set at $100,000, targeting critical vulnerabilities can significantly enhance the financial rewards for researchers, encouraging deeper investigations.
2
Engage with the Bug Bounty Resources repository to improve your understanding of Shopify's security landscape.
The repository contains valuable guides and resources that can help new researchers navigate the complexities of reporting vulnerabilities effectively.
3
Consider the implications of moving services into the Core assets category when planning your testing strategy.
Understanding which services are classified as Core assets can help prioritize testing efforts on areas that yield higher rewards for impactful findings.

Common Pitfalls

1
Failing to understand the classification of services can lead to missed opportunities for higher bounties.
Researchers should familiarize themselves with which services are considered Core assets to effectively target their testing and maximize potential rewards.

Related Concepts

Bug Bounty Programs
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (cvss)
Open-source Security