Google Launches Project Zero

Project Zero has been launched by internet giant Google. The ststed goal of the mission is to protect the World Wide Web from hackers and malicious users.

The elite team of computer researchers will scour the internet, looking for viruses, malware and cyber-attacks. Software and applications will be tested for potential security risks, and data sent to developers.

Some observers believe Project Zero could also target both Chinese hackers and the National Security Agency. The national spy agency routinely exploits faults in software in order to gain access to information about users and developers. Reports say the agency knew about the Heartbleed bug, and exploited it to gain access to data. Project Zero could significantly hinder these activities by the NSA.

Google security engineer Chris Evans said, “You should be able to use the web without fear that a criminal or state-sponsored actor is exploiting software bugs to infect your computer, steal secrets or monitor your communications.”

The internet giant offers up to $20,000 to anyone who discovers a security flaw in Google applications. Project Zero is the first time Google has undertaken such a search for flaws in software from other developers.

A blog announcement from Google read, “We commit to doing our work transparently. Every bug we discover will be filed in an external database. We will only report bugs to the software’s vendor — and no third parties.”

Some critics say Project Zero could take business away from companies that search for vulnerabilities in new software.

Google also announced they are hiring security engineers who want to take part in Project Zero.