Iraqi Researcher Finds Meta Security Vulnerability, Earns $11,000 Bounty

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi researcher uncovered a security flaw in Meta's systems that could affect user privacy on a global scale, according to an announcement made Tuesday. Meta awarded the researcher $11,000 through its vulnerability reward program after the company's security team spent 155 days fully patching the flaw and implementing a permanent fix. The researcher was included on Meta's 2026 security researchers thank-you list, ranking 16th among participants worldwide. The vulnerability, once resolved, was described as potentially significant for global user privacy. The discovery highlights the growing role of young Iraqi professionals in cybersecurity and their ability to contribute to the security of major global platforms.