Pwn2Own Ireland 2025: $1M WhatsApp Exploit Bounty Raises the Stakes

This October, Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 will take over Cork with one of the most ambitious cybersecurity competitions yet. Co-sponsored by Meta and organized by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), the event is putting record-breaking payouts on the line — including up to $1 million for a zero-click WhatsApp exploit that can deliver remote code execution.

From October 21-24, elite hackers and security researchers will go head-to-head across a diverse set of categories designed to reflect today’s most pressing cybersecurity challenges. These include:

• Mobile & Messaging: WhatsApp takes center stage, with Meta offering unprecedented rewards to strengthen the world’s most popular messaging app.
• Wearables & AR Devices: Competitors will probe devices like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Quest VR headsets, highlighting privacy risks in emerging tech.
• SOHO Smashup: Targeting home office devices — routers, NAS systems, and IoT hubs — reflecting the increased vulnerabilities created by widespread remote work.
• Traditional Mobile Platforms: iOS and Android remain prime targets given their ubiquity in both corporate and personal environments.

The competition comes against a backdrop of escalating cyber risks tied to remote and hybrid work, with phishing, unpatched home networks, sideloaded apps, and insecure Wi-Fi fueling attacks. With AI-powered exploits accelerating the pace of discovery, the stakes for proactive defense have never been higher.

We’ll explore:

• Why Meta is investing so heavily in zero-click exploit prevention for WhatsApp.
• How Pwn2Own’s unique model of ethical vulnerability disclosure is shaping global security standards.
• The growing threat landscape for remote work and mobile-first attacks, including AI-driven phishing and sideloaded malware.
• Why wearables like Ray-Ban smart glasses are becoming new privacy battlegrounds in the workplace.
• How competitions like Pwn2Own both spotlight vulnerabilities and drive vendors toward faster patching and security hardening.

As Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 kicks off, it’s clear this event isn’t just about prize money — it’s about securing the technologies that underpin modern communication, work, and life.

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