Advertisement

United Airlines offers rewards for spotting bugs in the system

A computer screen at the United Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport shows flight status including notice of computer failure that caused delays across the country June 20, 2007. United Airlines is offering rewards for identifying bugs in the carrier's website or app.

A computer screen at the United Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport shows flight status including notice of computer failure that caused delays across the country June 20, 2007. United Airlines is offering rewards for identifying bugs in the carrier’s website or app.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Share via

United Airlines may be having a change of heart about hackers.

A cybersecurity expert who joked during a United Airlines flight about hacking into the plane’s avionics computers was banned from flying on the carrier, even though the expert said he was pointing out a vulnerability in the airline’s Wi-Fi system.

Now United Airlines is offering rewards to anyone who can uncover a bug in the airline’s website, app or other software.

The so-called “bug bounty program” offers 50,000 to 1 million airline loyalty reward miles, depending on the severity of the bug.

Advertisement

The program has several caveats, including the most obvious: You can’t get a reward if you are the source of the bug.

“We believe that this program will further bolster our security and allow us to continue to provide excellent service,” the airline said.

To read more about travel, tourism and the airline industry, follow me on Twitter at @hugomartin.

Advertisement
Advertisement