Amazon launches huge global bug bounty program

Amazon has announced a new global bug bounty competition for developers, setting a lofty target of collectively eliminating one million software bugs with the help of tools from its cloud computing Amazon Web Services (AWS) subsidiary.

The AWS BugBust program allows developers to create and manage private events that help turn the process of fixing bugs in your software into a healthy competition.

Dubbing it the “world’s largest code challenge” Amazon hopes to use AWS BugBust to reduce technical debt by over $100 million.

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“Today, we are excited to announce an entirely new approach to help developers improve code quality, eliminate bugs, and boost application performance, while saving millions of dollars in application resource costs,” noted Swami Sivasubramanian, VP, Amazon Machine Learning, AWS.

Here’s how it works

In a blog post, AWS principal advocate Martin Beeby explains that every time a developer fixes a bug at any of the private events around the world, they are allotted points on the global leaderboard. 

As they reach significant individual milestones, the developers are rewarded with badges and prizes from AWS. On September 30 2021, the top 10 developers on the global leaderboard will be invited to the company annual AWS re:Invent conference.

Behind the scenes, AWS BugBust is powered by AWS BugBust uses Amazon CodeGuru Reviewer and Amazon CodeGuru Profiler. The latter uses machine learning and automated reasoning to find bugs in your applications. 

Amazon explains that while a traditional bug bash requires developers to find and fix bugs manually, with AWS BugBust, they get a list of bugs before the event begins, and can then spend their time and effort in fixing them.

However Beeby notes that every AWS account can use the CodeGuru tools for no charge for up to 30 days. While developers can create multiple AWS BugBust events during the trial period, all further usage beyond the trial period will be charged.  

The AWS BugBust capability is available today in US East (N. Virginia) with availability in additional regions where Amazon CodeGuru is offered coming soon.

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