**Hackers Get $1,047,000 for 76 Zero-Days at Pwn2Own Automotive 2026**
The Pwn2Own Automotive hacking competition has come to an end, and the results are nothing short of impressive. Over the course of three days, security researchers earned a total of $1,047,000 by exploiting 76 zero-day vulnerabilities in various automotive technologies.
Held in Tokyo, Japan, during the Automotive World auto conference, Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 focused on exposing vulnerabilities in fully patched in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, and car operating systems. Before TrendMicro's Zero Day Initiative publicly discloses them, vendors have a 90-day window to develop and release security fixes for the zero-days exploited during the contest.
The winning team, Fuzzware.io, took home $215,000 in cash after demonstrating their skills in hacking multiple automotive devices. They were awarded $118,000 on the first day alone after exploiting vulnerabilities in an Alpitronic HYC50 Charging Station, an Autel charger, and a Kenwood DNR1007XR navigation receiver.
On the second day, Fuzzware.io earned another $95,000 for demonstrating multiple zero-days in the Phoenix Contact CHARX SEC-3150 charging controller, the ChargePoint Home Flex EV charger, and the Grizzl-E Smart 40A EV charging station. They also received an additional $2,500 after experiencing a bug collision while attempting to root an Alpine iLX-F511 multimedia receiver on the final day of the contest.
Other notable teams that participated in Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 include Team DDOS, which earned $100,750, and Synactiv, which collected $85,000. Synacktiv Team also made headlines after chaining an out-of-bounds write flaw and an information leak to hack the Tesla Infotainment System via a USB-based attack on the first day.
The full schedule for the third day and the results for each challenge are available online. For those interested in learning more about Pwn2Own Automotive 2026, the complete schedule can be found here.
This year's contest marked another significant milestone in the world of automotive hacking. In comparison to previous years, security researchers earned $1,047,000 for exploiting 76 zero-days, a stark contrast to last year's $886,250 and Pwn2Own Automotive 2024's $1,323,750.
As the automotive industry continues to evolve, it's clear that cybersecurity remains a top priority. The Pwn2Own Automotive hacking competition serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing security in the development process to prevent such vulnerabilities from arising in the first place.