Operation Zero, a Russian zero-day broker firm, has announced an increase in payouts for top-tier mobile exploits. They are now willing to offer a maximum of $20,000,000 for zero-day exploits targeting iPhone and Android devices.
The company specifically mentioned that their end users for these exploits are non-NATO countries. They further justified the increase in payouts by stating that it is in response to the high demand in the market.
In an effort to attract developer teams to work with their platform, Operation Zero has not only increased the premium but also introduced competitive plans and bonuses for contract works.
Founded in 2022 by Sergey Zelenyuk, a former Kaspersky Lab security researcher, Operation Zero specializes in selling zero-day exploits to governmental bodies and private organizations. Unlike other zero-day brokers, their primary focus is on the Russian market, serving Russian government agencies and private businesses.
Expanding their reach, Operation Zero entered the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April 2023, aiming to tap into the growing surveillance market in the Middle East.
In addition to mobile exploits, the Russian firm also offers other services such as SonicWall NGFW RCE with payouts of up to $200,000, FortiGate NGFW RCE with payouts of up to $200,000, and MS Word RCE with payouts of up to $150,000.
The demand for zero-day exploits for mobile phones is primarily driven by surveillance firms and intelligence agencies.
Meanwhile, Zerodium Exploit Acquisition Program is offering up to $2.5 million for zero-click, zero-day flaws affecting Android devices and up to $2 million for similar zero-day issues impacting iOS devices.
CyberSec84 | Cybersecurity news. 
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