The Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 cybersecurity contest kicked off with a bang as ethical hackers walked away with more than $520,000 in prizes on the opening day. The event, hosted by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), showcased cutting-edge exploits across routers, NAS devices, smart speakers, and home automation systems.
In just one day, researchers uncovered 34 previously unknown vulnerabilities, proving once again why Pwn2Own remains one of the world’s most respected platforms for testing and strengthening cybersecurity defenses.
The top-earning team took home $100,000 for a complex exploit chain in the “SOHO Smashup” category, which required breaching two different device types. They successfully linked vulnerabilities in the QNAP Qhora-322 router and QNAP TS-453E NAS, a feat that impressed judges and demonstrated the risks of interconnected home and office networks.
Another highlight came when participants earned $50,000 each for exploiting the Synology ActiveProtect Appliance DP320 and the Sonos Era 300 smart speaker. Additional exploits targeting Synology and QNAP NAS devices earned researchers $40,000 apiece, reinforcing concerns about the security of storage hardware widely used in small businesses and homes.
Smart home systems were also in the spotlight. ZDI awarded $40,000, $20,000, and $12,500 for different vulnerabilities found in the Home Assistant Green automation device, while hackers targeting the Philips Hue Bridge earned $40,000 and $20,000 for their discoveries. Even everyday printers were not spared, researchers who compromised Canon and HP models pocketed $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.
The contest continues through Thursday, when one researcher aims to demonstrate a zero-click remote code execution exploit against WhatsApp, a hack that could net a staggering $1 million prize if successful.
Last year’s edition, Pwn2Own Ireland 2024, awarded more than $1 million to participants who exposed vulnerabilities in cameras, smartphones, printers, and smart speakers. With this year’s competition already exceeding half a million dollars in payouts on day one, Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 is shaping up to be another landmark event in cybersecurity research and responsible disclosure.
