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Apple has announced that it will accept applications for the Security Research Device Program (SRDP) 2026. Bug hunters interested in receiving an iPhone configured specifically for security research have until October 31, 2025, to apply.
Since 2020, Apple has been providing special researchers with “jailbreakable” iPhones. Under the SRDP program, researchers receive a device that allows them to analyze iOS security without having to bypass the security features active on a regular phone.
Program participants receive shell access to run any tool, as well as early access to security software and products, as well as special tools to help them with their work.
iPhones distributed through the SRDP are provided to researchers on a renewable 12-month loan agreement and are not intended for personal use.
Apple states that only researchers with “a proven track record of finding security issues on Apple or other modern operating systems and platforms” are eligible to participate in the program. Researchers who discover vulnerabilities through SRDP can earn rewards through Apple’s bug bounty program.
Although the company rarely shares payout figures for its vulnerability bounty program, in 2024 Apple said that it rewarded more than 100 researchers who participated in the SRDP, with several payments reaching $500,000 and an average reward of nearly $18,000.
Apple’s SRDP page does not yet indicate which iPhone models will be distributed under the program. 2026, but the most likely candidates are the iPhone 16 or the upcoming iPhone 17.
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