In a surprising turn of events, Sammy Azdoufal, the individual who accidentally hacked into a network of 7,000 DJI Romo robot vacuums, has been awarded $30,000 by the company for exposing a significant security vulnerability.

Azdoufal’s discovery, made while attempting to control his own device using a PlayStation gamepad, revealed a flaw that allowed him to access and control other people’s robots, potentially compromising their privacy.

DJI has since taken steps to address the issue, and the payment to Azdoufal is seen as a positive move towards encouraging responsible disclosure and collaboration with the security community.

This development marks a shift in DJI’s approach to acknowledging and rewarding security researchers, following past concerns raised by the company’s handling of similar situations, such as the case of Kevin Finisterre in 2017.

The company’s decision to reward Azdoufal may set a precedent for encouraging others to come forward with security concerns, ultimately improving the overall security of DJI’s products.

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