HackerOne has ended its long-standing anonymous model for paid bug bounty programs. Researchers must now complete mandatory identity verification before submitting any reports to programs offering monetary rewards.
Compulsory Verification Becomes a Hard Requirement
Starting August 1, every hacker must finish identity verification before submitting vulnerabilities to any Bug Bounty Program. Unverified accounts cannot submit reports or receive payouts. The rule applies to all paid programs without exception. Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) projects that offer no financial rewards remain open to unverified researchers.
Verification Process Handled by Veriff
Users access the ID Verification section in their profile, sign the Rules of Engagement document, and are redirected to Veriff, an Estonian identity verification provider. The process requires a live camera scan of a government-issued ID such as a passport, national ID, residence permit, or driver’s license, plus a real-time selfie for facial matching. Scanned copies and digital IDs are not accepted.
Several restrictions apply: VPNs, traffic anonymization tools, jailbroken devices, SDK emulators, and Apple Private Relay are all prohibited and trigger automatic rejection. Verification usually completes within three business days, with a maximum queue time of 48 hours. The verification must be renewed every year.
H1 Clear Adds Criminal Background Checks
H1 Clear represents a stricter tier that combines standard verification with criminal background screening. It targets a select group of elite researchers working on internal enterprise programs. Even Clear-status researchers must still complete the annual standard verification renewal.
Common Rejection Reasons and Preparation Tips
Most rejections stem from technical issues rather than identity fraud: blurry text on documents, missing machine-readable zones, cropped barcodes, expired IDs, or use of photocopies. HackerOne recommends good lighting, removal of glasses and headwear, and use of Chrome or Safari browsers.
Industry-Wide Shift Toward De-Anonymization
The change aligns with regulatory demands for anti-money laundering compliance and customer due diligence on cross-border payments. Similar verification requirements already exist on Bugcrowd and European platforms such as Intigriti. The policy affects new researchers, those in privacy-sensitive regions, and anyone hoping to participate in time-sensitive bounty competitions, as unverified accounts cannot submit reports immediately upon discovering a vulnerability.
