Pwn2Own Berlin Day One Features Windows 11 and Edge Exploits
Summary
Pwn2Own Berlin 2026’s first day awarded $523,000 after researchers demonstrated 24 zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11 and other platforms. Vendors have 90 days to release fixes after disclosure.
Key points
- Researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days and received $523,000 in awards on day one.
- Orange Tsai won $175,000 for chaining four logic bugs to escape Microsoft Edge’s sandbox.
- Teams demonstrated three Windows 11 privilege-escalation zero-days, earning $30,000 each.
- Valentina Palmiotti received $20,000 for rooting Red Hat Linux for Workstations and $50,000 for a zero-day in the NVIDIA Container Toolkit.
- Other successful demonstrations targeted LiteLLM, NVIDIA Megatron Bridge, OpenAI Codex, Chroma, and LM Studio.
- The competition rules require targets to run the latest operating system versions and entries to demonstrate arbitrary code execution; vendors have 90 days to release fixes after disclosure.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Pwn2Own Berlin 2026 vulnerability research and exploit-demonstration competition
- Impact
- Researchers reported exploiting 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux for Workstations, NVIDIA software, and AI and enterprise platforms, earning $523,000 on day one. The demonstrations included a Microsoft Edge sandbox escape, Windows 11 privilege escalation, and flaws in other named products. The article says vendors have 90 days to release fixes after flaws are disclosed.
People
AngelboyWorked with TwinkleStar03 and the DEVCORE Internship Program on a Windows 11 privilege-escalation demonstration.haehaeWorked with Satoki Tsuji on NVIDIA Megatron Bridge zero-day demonstrations and separately demonstrated a Chroma zero-day.k3vg3nChained three bugs in LiteLLM in a successful competition attempt.Kentaro KawaneOf GMO Cybersecurity; demonstrated a new Windows 11 privilege-escalation zero-day and received $30,000.maitaiOf Doyensec; participated in a successful attempt targeting OpenAI Codex.Marcin WiÄ zowskiDemonstrated a new Windows 11 privilege-escalation zero-day and received $30,000.Orange TsaiDemonstrated a Microsoft Edge sandbox escape by chaining four logic bugs and received $175,000.Satoki TsujiWorked with haehae on NVIDIA Megatron Bridge zero-day demonstrations.TwinkleStar03Worked with Angelboy and the DEVCORE Internship Program on a Windows 11 privilege-escalation demonstration.Valentina PalmiottiAlso identified in the article as chompie; rooted Red Hat Linux for Workstations and demonstrated a zero-day in the NVIDIA Container Toolkit.
Vendors
Chromaand maitai of Doyensec hacking OpenAI’s Codex coding agent (each earning $40,000), haehae dropping a Chroma zero-day ($20,000), and STARLabs SG a LM Studio zero-day ($40,000).LiteLLMDay two targets include Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, Apple Safari, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, LiteLLM, Anthropic Claude Code, and Mozilla Firefox.LM Studiocoding agent (each earning $40,000), haehae dropping a Chroma zero-day ($20,000), and STARLabs SG a LM Studio zero-day ($40,000).MicrosoftPwn2Own Berlin 2026 opened with $523,000 in cash awards after researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux, NVIDIA software, and multiple AI and enterprise platforms.NvidiaPwn2Own Berlin 2026 opened with $523,000 in cash awards after researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux, NVIDIA software, and multiple AI and enterprise platforms.OpenAIThe event continues at OffensiveCon as teams target products from Microsoft, Apple, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Mozilla, with vendors given 90 days to patch disclosed flaws.Red HatPwn2Own Berlin 2026 opened with $523,000 in cash awards after researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux, NVIDIA software, and multiple AI and enterprise platforms.
Products
Chromaand maitai of Doyensec hacking OpenAI’s Codex coding agent (each earning $40,000), haehae dropping a Chroma zero-day ($20,000), and STARLabs SG a LM Studio zero-day ($40,000).LiteLLMDay two targets include Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, Apple Safari, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, LiteLLM, Anthropic Claude Code, and Mozilla Firefox.LM Studiocoding agent (each earning $40,000), haehae dropping a Chroma zero-day ($20,000), and STARLabs SG a LM Studio zero-day ($40,000).Microsoft EdgePwn2Own Berlin 2026 opened with $523,000 in cash awards after researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux, NVIDIA software, and multiple AI and enterprise platforms.Nvidia Container ToolkitValentina Palmiotti earned prizes for rooting Red Hat Linux for Workstations and targeting the NVIDIA Container Toolkit.NVIDIA Megatron Bridgeinclude k3vg3n chaining 3 bugs to take down LiteLLM ($40,000), Satoki Tsuji and haehae exploiting NVIDIA Megatron Bridge zero-days ($20,000), Compass Security and maitai of Doyensec hacking OpenAI’s Codex coding agentOpenAI CodexDay two targets include Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, Apple Safari, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, LiteLLM, Anthropic Claude Code, and Mozilla Firefox.Red Hat Enterprise Linux for WorkstationsValentina Palmiotti earned prizes for rooting Red Hat Linux for Workstations and targeting the NVIDIA Container Toolkit.Windows 11Pwn2Own Berlin 2026 opened with $523,000 in cash awards after researchers demonstrated 24 unique zero-days across Microsoft Edge, Windows 11, Red Hat Linux, NVIDIA software, and multiple AI and enterprise platforms.