What is a bug bounty?

A bug bounty program allows companies to reward independent security researchers for responsibly reporting vulnerabilities in their products. Instead of relying only on internal testing, organizations gain continuous security testing from a global community of ethical hackers.

How much does it cost to run a bug bounty program?

Costs depend on your program's scope, reward structure, and activity. You set the bounty budget and reward ranges, while HackenProof handles triage, validation, and payouts. Talk to the team for a setup tailored to your goals and budget.

What makes HackenProof different from other bug bounty platforms?

HackenProof combines a vetted community of 82,000+ researchers with fully managed triage, KYC, encrypted reporting, and an AI-powered assistant that filters out noise — so your team only sees real, validated findings.

How do I know if my company needs a bug bounty program?

If you ship software, handle user data, or operate in Web3 or regulated industries, a bug bounty adds continuous, real-world security testing beyond periodic audits. The HackenProof team can help assess your fit on a quick call.

How does KYC work for researchers on HackenProof?

Researchers can complete identity verification through built-in KYC workflows, letting you run programs that meet compliance requirements for regulated industries while keeping payouts secure.

Can a bug bounty program replace a traditional security audit?

No — they complement each other. An audit gives a deep, point-in-time review, while a bug bounty provides ongoing coverage. Many teams run both for layered security.

Run a Bug Bounty Program With the Platform Trusted by 400+ Projects

HackenProof connects your project with 70,000+ verified security researchers who actively hunt for vulnerabilities across Web3 and Web2 — from DeFi protocols and L1/L2 infrastructure to fintech, healthcare, and e-commerce. You set the scope and rewards — we handle triage, validation, and payouts, so your team only sees issues that are real, verified, and ready to act.

45 countries

ISO 27001 certified

$95B+ in funds protected

TRUSTED BY

Why Choose HackenProof as a Bug Bounty Platform?

$26M+Paid out to ethical hackers

82,000+Ethical hackers

85,000+Submitted reports

400+Programs

500+Projects Secured

9+Years of experience

$95B+In user funds protected

1,100+Critical vulnerabilities detected

45+Countries represented

90+Countries

Who Should Run a Bug Bounty Program?

Discover which Web3 and Web2 organizations benefit most from continuous, real-world security testing.

Web3 Protocols and Blockchain Projects

Bug bounty programs help Web3 teams uncover vulnerabilities in smart contracts and blockchain infrastructure before they turn into exploits.

You're probably in this category if you build:

Layer-1 or Layer-2 protocols
DeFi applications
Crypto exchanges
Crypto wallets
NFT marketplaces
Blockchain infrastructure tools
Bridges
Lending platforms
Staking platforms
Execution environments / engines
Telegram apps
DApps
GameFi platforms
Stablecoins
Ecosystem projects
Prediction markets
Other on-chain products

Trusted by 100+ Customers

Web2 Digital Products and Services

For digital companies, bug bounty programs act as an additional layer of protection against cyberattacks, helping strengthen product security and protect user data.

Your company likely falls into this category if you work for:

Fintech
Banks
SaaS products
Media and content platforms
Healthcare
Government institutions
E-commerce
Logistics and delivery services
Other digital products used by customers

Trusted by 30+ Customers

Take a Look Inside Your Future Business Account

Reports

Manage every vulnerability report in one place, and keep your team aligned from submission to resolution.

Track report progress and prioritize critical findings
Advanced search and filtering
Severity and status tracking
SLA monitoring and response management
Custom labels and report organization
Team assignment and collaboration
Researcher activity visibility

What Are The Features of HackenProof's Bug Bounty Platform?

Everything you need for launching, managing, and scaling your bug bounty program

Public and Private Program

Choose the program format that fits your needs. Launch a public or private bug bounty program, depending on your security goals, and scale participation as your program grows.

Public and private bug bounty program illustration

Public or Private FormatFlexible Researcher AccessScalable ParticipationPrograms for Any Security Goal

Security Community

Our platform connects you with a large community of highly skilled ethical hackers who have collectively discovered thousands of vulnerabilities across real-world systems.

Global network of ethical hackers illustration

Global Ethical Hacker NetworkHighly Skilled Security ResearchersThousands of Vulnerabilities DiscoveredReal-World Security Expertise

KYC and Compliance

Verify researcher identities and meet compliance requirements with built-in KYC workflows tailored for regulated industries.

Researcher identity verification and compliance illustration

Built-In Researcher VerificationFlexible KYC WorkflowsDesigned for Regulated IndustriesCompliance-Ready Processes

Centralized Business Account

Track progress, review vulnerability reports, communicate with researchers, and monitor program activity — all in one place.

Track program progress in one placeReview and manage vulnerability reportsCommunicate directly with researchersMonitor all program activity in real time

Managed Programs & Report Validation

We carefully validate vulnerability reports before they reach your team, filtering out duplicates and low-quality submissions to save your time and ensure you focus only on relevant, actionable issues.

Report validation filtering duplicates and low-quality submissions

Expert Report ValidationDuplicate Reports Filtered OutLow-Quality Submissions RemovedOnly Actionable Findings Delivered

Structured Report Workflow

Receive clear, well-organized reports, collaborate with researchers, and track the entire vulnerability lifecycle from submission to resolution.

Vulnerability report table with severity, bounty and state columns

Clear, structured vulnerability reportsDirect collaboration with researchersReal-time report status trackingFull lifecycle from submission to resolution

Report Encryption

Keep your reports secure with our state-of-the-art encryption. Utilize end-to-end encryption using your PGP keys for maximum confidentiality and protection.

PGP-encrypted vulnerability report illustration

End-to-End Report EncryptionBring Your Own PGP KeysMaximum Data ConfidentialitySecure Sensitive Findings

AI-Powered Triage Assistant

We use an AI-powered triage assistant built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to help process vulnerability reports faster, reduce SLA times, and ensure no valid findings are missed.

AI triage flow from incoming reports to prioritised results

MCP-Powered Report ProcessingFaster Vulnerability TriageReduced SLA TimesNo Valid Finding Missed

Reduce AI Noise

As AI tools make it easier to generate vulnerability reports at scale, the signal-to-noise ratio has dropped across the industry. HackenProof tackles this through multiple layers: a reputation system that rewards quality submissions and penalizes low-effort ones, paid submissions that create a financial barrier to spam, and an MCP server-powered triage assistant that filters out AI-generated noise before reports ever reach your team, so your security engineers focus only on real, validated findings.

Submission requirements with reputation threshold and submission fee

Researcher Reputation ControlsPaid Submission BarriersMCP-Powered Noise FilteringOnly Validated Findings Reach You

Dedicated Support

From program management and marketing promotion to community outreach, HackenProof's dedicated team helps you run and grow a successful bug bounty program.

Pre-Launch Program SetupMarketing and Community OutreachOngoing Program ManagementContinuous Growth Support

Flexible Payments

Reward hackers in stablecoins, fiat, or native tokens according to your preferences via HackenProof's payout management services and access detailed financial reports directly from the dashboard.

Payout table with multi-currency bounty payments and states

End-to-End Report EncryptionBring Your Own PGP KeysMaximum Data ConfidentialitySecure Sensitive Findings

Integrations

Connect HackenProof to your existing workflow through webhooks, API, MCP, and 100+ supported communication, development, cloud, and automation applications.

HackenProof connected to webhooks, API, MCP and applications

Real-Time Webhook AutomationFlexible API ConnectivityMCP-Powered AI Integration100+ Supported Applications

Bug Bounty vs VDP: Choose the Right Program for Your Team

Compare public and private bug bounty programs with a VDP to find the right balance between researcher reach, motivation, and control.

	VDP	Public Bug Bounty	Private Bug Bounty
Reward	None (discretionary)	Paid, based on severity	Paid, based on severity
Participation	Open to all	Open to all	Invite-only
Researcher motivation	Recognition-based	High — open competition	High — targeted rewards, fewer competitors
Coverage & scale	Broad but passive	Broadest — full community	Focused, limited scale
Researcher KYC	Optional	Optional	Required
Triage & validation	Included	Included	Included

Need help choosing the right Bug Bounty program type?

How Does It Work?

From first conversation to your first valid report — four steps.

Get in touch with our team

We'll start with a brief call or chat to understand your security goals, walk you through the platform, and map out the best approach for your project.

Get the program ready

Our team works alongside you to configure the full program, scope, reward structure, disclosure rules, and everything in between, so you're set up for success before a single report comes in.

Confirm the launch details

We do a final review of every program detail, lock in your launch date, align on the announcement strategy, and make sure the right researchers hear about your program on day one.

Go live and start receiving security reports

Your program goes public, the announcements go out, security researchers get to work, your security posture improves — exactly what a great bug bounty program looks like in action.

Technologies Supported

Solidity, Rust, Move, Go, C#, C++, Java, Python, Cairo, Scrypto, Swift, Daml, Vyper, Clarity, Motoko, Tact, Michelson, Haskell, DAML, and more are added regularly.

Programming languages

Rust

Move

Vyper

Clarity

Haskel

Motoko

Cairo

Solidity

Michelson

Scrypto

Tact

Daml

C++

Java

Python

Swift

And more

Web & Mobile

Web Applications

Mobile Apps

APIs

Platforms

Infrastructure

How Does HackenProof Keep Your Data and Reports Safe?

We strictly follow internationally recognized security standards, including ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27002, ISO/IEC 29147, and ISO/IEC 30111, to ensure secure handling of your data, infrastructure, and vulnerability reports at every stage.

Vulnerability Disclosure
Vulnerability Handling
Security Controls
Information Security Management

How Else Can HackenProof Support Your Security?

Bug Bounty Whitelabel

Run a fully branded bug bounty program or a platform powered by HackenProof's infrastructure — without building the platform from scratch. Ideal for security consultancies, exchanges, and enterprises that want a professional, ready-to-deploy solution under their own brand.

Branded bug bounty platform illustration

Fully Branded Bug Bounty PlatformPowered by HackenProof InfrastructureNo Platform Development RequiredReady-to-Deploy Under Your Brand

Vulnerability Disclosure Program

A Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) gives security researchers a clear, official channel to report vulnerabilities in your products — without bounty rewards. It's the first step toward a structured security program, helping organizations receive and act on responsible disclosures while staying compliant with industry and regulatory expectations.

Vulnerability disclosure intake illustration

Official Disclosure ChannelNo Bounty Rewards RequiredStructured Responsible ReportingCompliance-Ready Vulnerability Intake

See How Companies Are Strengthening Security with HackenProof

Case Studies

Our Customers

HackenProof cut our overhead significantly. Centralized report management, consistent triage across all submissions, duplicates filtered automatically. Their team adapts quickly — which matters a lot when AI is reshaping the threat landscape.

Anton AstafievCTO

Switching to Hackenproof has been a game-changer for Sui. The expertise and dedication of the Hackenproof community have not only enhanced the security of the Sui ecosystem but have also instilled greater confidence in our community. We’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made together and are excited about what we can achieve as we keep working together.

Sean SpaniolDirector of Cybersecurity

HackenProof is ADI Foundation's trusted security provider. From audits to Dual Defense and bug bounty, their skilled community covers it all. What I appreciate most is how quickly the company adapts to where the market is heading, including the rise of AI-driven threats. That kind of forward-thinking approach lets us stay secure without slowing down — and focus on what we're here to do: grow ADI Foundation.

Herman StohniievCTO

HackenProof is a leading specialist bug bounty platform for crowd-sourced security testing of blockchain protocols and smart contracts. I look forward to working with their team and the whitehat hacking community to take the security of the Avalanche ecosystem to the next level.

Dr. Arnold YauSecurity Engineer

Security is a continuous journey, not a one-time checkpoint. The successful completion of this audit marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to ensure the highest security standards. Inspired by the insights from the HackenProof team, we are more committed than ever to maintaining an active and robust security posture through continuous assessments.

We value HackenProof's role in enhancing our core security through their bug bounty program, which has streamlined identifying and managing vulnerabilities on KuCoin. This collaboration has significantly bolstered our platform's defense mechanisms, reflecting HackenProof's commitment to our security needs.

The KuCoin Team