Apple has launched a new initiative to improve security in its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) system, designed to handle complex AI processes securely and privately. Through its security bounty program, Apple aims to reward ethical hackers for finding vulnerabilities in PCC, with bounties reaching up to $1 million for serious exploits.
To facilitate research, Apple has created a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) within the macOS Sequoia 15.1 Developer Preview, allowing developers to study and test a version of PCC’s functionality. This includes examining PCC’s architecture, end-to-end encryption, and security features through open-sourced code and a Private Cloud Compute Security Guide.
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PCC uses strict privacy protocols, ensuring that user data remains encrypted and inaccessible to Apple employees, providing a secure AI processing environment. Rewards for vulnerabilities vary, with $1 million for successful Remote Code Execution (RCE) attacks that access data, $250,000 for access to end-user data, and $50,000 to $150,000 for network-level attacks. Researchers must use a Mac with an Apple processor and at least 16 GB of memory to participate in testing the VRE.
