In a first for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), 26 ethical hackers have taken part in a Bug Bounty programme in collaboration with US-based company HackerOne.

The 30-day challenge aimed to identify and fix vulnerabilities in cyber systems to strengthen Defence security.

Bug Bounty programmes provide safe environments for experts to identify areas where security can be improved.

The government said the collaboration had provided “extremely valuable” expertise used to find and remediate vulnerabilities.

“The Ministry of Defence has embraced a strategy of securing by design, with transparency being integral for identifying areas for improvement in the development process,” said Christine Maxwell, Ministry of Defence chief information security officer. “It is important for us to continue to push the boundaries with our digital and cyber development to attract personnel with skills, energy and commitment.”

Maxwell added: “Working with the ethical hacking community allows us to build out our bench of tech talent and bring more diverse perspectives to protect and defend our assets. Understanding where our vulnerabilities are and working with the wider ethical hacking community to identify and fix them is an essential step in reducing cyber risk and improving resilience.”

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