The Pwn2Own hacking competition has just wrapped up in Ireland, and it’s been a lucrative year for cybersecurity researchers. The event saw over $1.2 million in rewards paid out to participants who successfully exploited vulnerabilities in various devices, including phones, printers, smart speakers, and cloud databases.
At the top of the leaderboard were exploits targeting Google’s Pixel 10 smartphone. Three teams collectively earned more than $560,000 for their work. One team, Ikotas Labs, took home the full $300,000 payout by chaining multiple bugs to remotely hack a Pixel phone. The exploit relied on several vulnerabilities, including a zero-day flaw that allowed them to bypass security measures and gain control of the device.
Another team, consisting of Tim Becker and Yves Bieri, earned $150,000 for their Pixel exploit, but they didn’t quite get the full payout. Their method involved using a previously known flaw, which means it’s not as valuable or innovative as the Ikotas Labs’ exploit. The third team to hack the Pixel, Dimitrios Valsamaras and Ken Gannon, earned $112,500 for chaining a zero-day with a previously known vulnerability.
The Pwn2Own competition is an annual event that brings together top-notch cybersecurity researchers to demonstrate their skills in finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in various devices. The event’s organizers provide a platform for these researchers to showcase their work and earn rewards, which can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands.
In addition to the Pixel exploits, other notable hacks included a $50,000 reward earned by a researcher for a Sonos Era 300 smart speaker hack, and several $40,000 payouts for exploits targeting Oracle Autonomous AI Database, OpenAI Codex, and Nvidia’s Dynamo AI inference framework. Researchers also received roughly $30,000 for exploits targeting the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Home Assistant Green smart home hub.
The Pwn2Own competition is an essential event in the cybersecurity community, as it highlights the importance of vulnerability research and exploitation. The affected vendors will receive detailed information about the hacks, which will help them patch the vulnerabilities and prevent similar attacks in the future.
For individuals, the takeaways from this story are clear: the value of cybersecurity research and the importance of keeping your devices and software up to date. By staying informed and vigilant, you can protect yourself against potential threats. Remember that even with robust security measures in place, a skilled hacker can still find ways to breach your defenses. This is why regular updates and patches are crucial – they help fill the gaps left by vulnerabilities and prevent attacks from succeeding.
Source: SecurityWeek — 2026-10-09