Google will no longer pay for identifying vulnerabilities in Android apps.

After 7 years, Google is ending its program of rewarding the discovery of vulnerabilities in Google Play apps.

According to a report on X, it appears that Google is ending its reward program for discovering vulnerabilities in Google Play. This program was designed to encourage security researchers to identify vulnerabilities in popular Android apps available on Google Play.

The Google Play Security Rewards Program (GPSRP) has played a significant role in improving the security of Android apps since its launch. It allowed security researchers to receive financial rewards for reporting vulnerabilities, which not only helped enhance user security but also gave developers the opportunity to improve their apps and increase their earnings.

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The GPSRP was first introduced in 2017. At that time, Google included only a limited number of apps in the program, focusing on those used by millions of people daily, and only a select few developers were allowed to participate. Two years later, Google announced that the program would be expanded to include all apps available on Google Play, and all developers could participate. Consequently, the maximum rewards for finding security bugs were increased from $5,000 to $20,000.

The primary goal of the Google Play Security Rewards Program was to elevate the security standards of apps on the platform and create a safer environment for Android users. Google used the data discovered through this program to develop automated security review tools. These tools continuously scanned all apps on Google Play to identify similar vulnerabilities. This allowed Google to improve the app review process before they were published on Google Play, preventing the release of apps with known vulnerabilities.

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According to Google, in 2019 alone, the company’s automated security review tools helped over 300,000 developers fix more than one million apps on Google Play. Despite this success, Google has decided to discontinue this widely-used program on August 31, 2024.

Google’s decision might be driven by changes in its security strategies and a shift towards newer and more effective methods for identifying and addressing vulnerabilities. The company remains committed to user security and is likely to introduce a new program soon to replace the GPSRP.