Brad Schlintz

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the MSRC Researcher Celebration at Black Hat USA. We're incredibly grateful to the security research community for the partnership, trust, and collaboration that help protect customers around the world. Thank you for your contributions, your dedication, and your continued partnership. It was wonderful to spend time together celebrating the work we do as a community and the impact we can have together.

Today, we're proud to recognize the Top 100 Microsoft 2026 Most Valuable Researchers (MVRs). Security researchers play a critical role in helping protect customers by identifying and reporting vulnerabilities across Microsoft products and services. We're grateful for their partnership and the impact they have made over the past year. Congratulations to this year's Top 10 MVRs: 🥇C46F3708A45EF0041BD0A49DDAEA0E25 🥈ShinHyuiq & Alan Pang 🥉cherrypick 4. Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr) 5. wtm (@wtm_offensi) 6. Asaf Cohen (XBREACH.AI) 7. bccc95a61a3cc79d7b2c4423c808f744 8. Felix B. 9. 142a423e2574abf10d65eba46891ca5e 9. Anonymous This year, we updated the MVR leaderboard to rank researchers based on total bounty awards, creating a clearer connection between recognition and security impact. We also introduced Special Mentions to recognize researchers who submitted valid vulnerability reports during the recognition period, regardless of leaderboard ranking. See our blog for the complete list of the Top 100 MSRC 2026 Most Valuable Researchers and the top researchers by bounty program: microsoft.com/en-us/msrc/blo… Thank you to every researcher who partnered with us this year to help protect customers worldwide.

Over the past several days, we have been listening to the conversation around coordinated disclosure and the relationship between security researchers and vendors. We recognize that this relationship is both critical and, at times, fragile. We deeply value the security community, and will continue to take your feedback seriously. To be clear about our approach to legal matters, we have no intention to pursue action against individuals conducting or publishing their security research. When an individual breaks the law and engages in malicious activity causing real harm to our customers, we will work with law enforcement as appropriate. We recognize the work that goes into researching and submitting a vulnerability. We are committed to approaching every interaction with transparency, clear communication, and professionalism. We continue to believe strongly in Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure as the foundation for protecting customers and improving our products. Each year we process a high volume of vulnerability reports. That volume continues to grow and will continue with the rise of AI-enabled research. We acknowledge that some interactions have fallen short and are working to learn from them. Many of us have experience on both sides of this work, as researchers reporting vulnerabilities and as responders triaging and assessing them. That perspective informs how we approach this feedback and the importance we place on getting it right, particularly as the volume and complexity of research continues to grow. The security community plays a vital role in helping us protect customers. We are committed to maintaining a constructive and respectful relationship and growing together. We know that, given the nature of this work, there will at times be misunderstandings. We remain committed to engaging in good faith and to providing a respectful and professional experience for all researchers, regardless of past interactions.

Congratulations to all the researchers recognized in this quarter’s MSRC 2026 Q1 Security Researcher Leaderboard! Thanks to all the researchers who partnered with us for your hard work and continued dedication to securing our customers. Learn more in our blog post: msft.it/6018Q2mCp We also want to recognize the top 10 researchers in the leaderboard: 🥇Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr) 🥈wtm (@wtm_offensi) 🥉Suresh Chelladurai 4. Evan Grant 5. cherrypick 6. Jianyang Song 7. Anonymous 8. Anonymous 9. Anonymous 10.Lakshmi Vignesh S

Day 1 of the Zero Day Quest Onsite Hacking Event is in the books and we’ve kicked off Day 2. We welcomed top security researchers from around the world to Microsoft’s Redmond campus for a day of live hacking, collaboration, and connection. Researchers worked side-by-side with Microsoft engineers and product teams to identify vulnerabilities across our AI and cloud platforms. Lots of amazing reports and discussions flowed throughout the day with MSRC, product teams, and the researchers themselves all driving security forward together. We wrapped the day with a Seattle Kraken vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game in Seattle (tough loss, but the vibes were strong!). We’re incredibly grateful to the security researcher community. Your work makes a real impact in helping protect customers. #ZeroDayQuest

Today, we’re welcoming top security researchers from around the world to Microsoft’s Redmond campus for the first official day of the Zero Day Quest Onsite Hacking Event. They’ll collaborate with Microsoft engineers and product teams to uncover vulnerabilities across our AI and cloud platforms over the next two days. We’re thankful for the security researcher community and the impact their work has in helping protect customers. #ZeroDayQuest

We’re excited to welcome some of the world’s top security researchers to Zero Day Quest 2026 🎉 We kicked off the onsite hacking event with bowling, followed by dinner and drinks with incredible views. It’s the start of a full week of security research, collaboration with Microsoft teams, and social events including a Kraken hockey game, a brunch cruise, and more. We’re grateful to every researcher who qualified and joined us in person, as well as those participating remotely. Their work and partnership with Microsoft help protect customers and communities around the world. #ZeroDayQuest

As announced by Tom Gallagher (@secbughunter), VP of Engineering, MSRC, on stage at Black Hat Europe, we’re evolving our bug bounty program. Now, high-severity vulnerabilities that directly impact Microsoft online services are eligible for bounty awards, whether the code is Microsoft-owned, third-party, or open source. This expanded scope applies retroactively to cases from the past 90 days, ensuring recent impactful research is recognized and rewarded. These payments have already begun. Learn more about the changes, our commitment to the security community, and how you can participate: microsoft.com/en-us/msrc/blo… #BHEU

Congratulations to all the researchers recognized in this quarter’s MSRC 2025 Q3 Security Researcher Leaderboard! Thanks to all the researchers who partnered with us for your hard work and continued dedication to securing our customers. Learn more in our blog post: msft.it/6016sfncp We also want to recognize the top 10 researchers in the leaderboard: 🥇Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr) 🥈 Yuval Avrahami 🥉 b2ahex 4. Jianyang song 5. Felix B. 6. Haifei Li @HaifeiLi 6. tuandv of Viettel Cyber Security 8. P1hcn 9. 0x140ce @0x140ce 10. Matthew Jensen

Big congratulations to Microsoft Most Valuable Researcher (MVR) Brad Schlintz @nmdhkr and his ?Cube CTF team, 2_minutes_faster, for earning the coveted Black Badge at DEF CON 33! This multi-discipline hacking competition challenged participants in Physical Breach Techniques, Web Application Hacking, Cryptography, Malware Reverse Engineering, Command and Control, Steganography, Phreaking, and more. Last year, the team missed the win by just two minutes in a tiebreaker. This year, they came back faster, stronger, and victorious. Team 2_minutes_faster: • Brandon Kraycirik • Nadia Chigmaroff • Caroline Jordan • Nathan Reyes • Paul Pongsuphat • Patrick Raiden • Brad Schlintz Your persistence and skill embody the best of the security community. Congratulations on this incredible achievement! Learn more about the ?Cube CTF: msft.it/6012srLo8 hashtag#defcon hashtag#defcon33

At @defcon, the MSRC team had a great time connecting with the security community and cheering on Microsoft employees, MVRs, and other Microsoft security researchers as they shared their expertise through presentations and hands-on collaboration. #DEFCON #DEFCON33

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the MSRC Researcher Celebration during #BHUSA last night. It was incredible to see so many members of the security community come together to share stories and build connections. Special shoutout to our 2025 MSRC MVRs for being part of this amazing event. Here’s to the friendships, the collaborations, and the future we’re shaping together. #MSFTBlackHat

Our previously published Most Valuable Researchers (MVR) leaderboard contained inaccuracies due to technical issues on our end. We apologize for the error and have since resolved the issue. We’re now sharing a fully refreshed and accurate leaderboard. The Microsoft Researcher Recognition Program offers public thanks and recognition to security researchers who help protect our customers by discovering and sharing security vulnerabilities under Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure. We are excited to recognize this year’s Most Valuable Researchers (MVRs), based on the total number of points earned for each valid report. Please join us in celebrating this year’s MVRs, including our top 10: 1. 🥇wkai 2. 🥈VictorV (@vv474172261) 3. 🥉Suresh Chelladurai 4. Anonymous 5. Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr ) 6. @0x140ce 7. Anonymous 8. Dhiral Patel (@dhiralpatel94) 9. Nan Wang (@eternalsakura13) and Ziling Chen 10. Adnan (@adnanthekhan) See the full list of this year’s MVRs, in addition to our Azure, Office, Windows, and Dynamics 365 leaderboards: msft.it/6019sBjyU #bugbounty

Congratulations to all the researchers recognized in this quarter’s MSRC 2025 Q2 Security Researcher Leaderboard! Thanks to all the researchers who partnered with us for your hard work and continued dedication to securing our customers. Learn more in our blog post: msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2025… We also want to recognize the top 10 researchers in the leaderboard: 🥇wkai 🥈Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr) 🥉@0x140ce 🥉 Zhiniang Peng (@edwardzpeng) with HUST & R4nger (@R4nger99) with CyberKunLun 5. VictorV (@vv474172261) 6. k0shl (@KeyZ3r0) 7. @wh1tc @ Kunlun lab& devoke & Zhiniang Peng (@edwardzpeng) with HUST 8. Jongseong Kim (@nevul37), SEC-agent team 9. Anonymous 10. Haifei Li (@HaifeiLi) 10. Nick Wojciechowski

At just 13 years old, Dylan Ryan-Zilavy became the youngest security researcher to collaborate with MSRC. What started with Scratch and HTML quickly evolved into submitting impactful vulnerability reports, respectfully challenging scope decisions, and even helping shape MSRC’s bug bounty policies. Today, Dylan is not only one of our youngest collaborators, but also one of our most thoughtful, balancing high school with cello, science competitions, and security research. In April, he placed 3rd at Microsoft’s Zero Day Quest, competing alongside seasoned professionals. Read more about Dylan’s path, challenges, and achievements on the MSRC blog: msft.it/6012S2v5s #bugbounty

Congratulations to all the researchers recognized in this quarter’s MSRC 2025 Q1 Security Researcher Leaderboard! Thanks to all the researchers who partnered with us for your hard work and continued dedication to securing our customers. Learn more in our blog post: msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2025… We also want to recognize the top 10 researchers in the leaderboard: 1. 0x140ce (@0x140ce) 2. VictorV (@vv474172261) 3. Vaisha Bernard of Eye Security 4. Wkai 5. Li Shuang and willJ 6. Brad Schlintz (@nmdhkr) 7. Zhiniang Peng with HUST & R4nger with CyberKunLun (@R4nger99) (@edwardzpeng) 8. Anonymous 9. Anonymous 10. Nan Wang (@eternalsakura13)