Security experts who either weren't inclined to do Google any favors or actually wanted to cause a little mischief now have good reason to help the search giant out.  Google's implemented a rewards system for finding bugs in Chromium.

People who report an eligible bug should receive at least $500 from Google by way of thanks.  Particularly clever discoveries may even net individuals $1,337 (which is, aside from being a nice sum of money, a sort of joke likely to amuse Google's target audience).

As for some eligibility specifics, the key is to be the first person to report a bug through the Chromium bug tracker.  Bugs present in Chrome, but not the Chromium open source project, are eligible.  Would-be winners just can't have worked on the code, be under 18, or live in countries like Iran and North Korea.

This is a clever way for Google to receive a lot of help.  The company's got plenty of money, after all - its market cap is in the neighborhood of $170 billion - but this approach will allow it to receive aid from many experts without adding hundreds of people to the payroll.

More information about the rewards program is available on the Chromium Blog.  Good luck if you decide to take part.

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