This illustrative photo shows the Apple App Store logo reflected by an iPhone on the back of an iMac in Los Angeles, Aug. 26, 2021. (Credit: Chris Delmas/AFP)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese cybersecurity company Semicolon Security announced Thursday it recently received $50,000 from Apple after uncovering a vulnerability in its iOS system. In March 2025, Hassan Sheet, a cybersecurity expert at the company, identified a bug that allowed hackers to access iPhone and iPad user photos, even those protected by Face ID. Apple has since fixed the vulnerability.
Since then, the team has discovered five vulnerabilities, three of which Apple has confirmed, according to co-founder Majd Dhaini. "The entire amount will be reinvested as the grand prize for a hacker competition planned for 2026 in Lebanon," he announced, stressing the desire to encourage young talent in this field.
Since 2015, Semicolon has participated in bug bounty programs that reward ethical hackers for detecting and reporting security vulnerabilities. These programs have enabled the Lebanese company to earn "more than a million dollars" thanks to its discoveries for giants like Apple and Meta.
