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As Deere continues to enhance its cybersecurity posture through collaboration with ethical hackers, the company demonstrates a commitment to innovation and safety in an increasingly digital world.

Agriculture, Ag Tech November 01, 2025

Tech@Work

Hacker Heroes: John Deere's Bug Bounty program boosts cybersecurity.

Ethical hackers, or white hat hackers, have become a critical element of cybersecurity at many leading tech organizations in recent years.

John Deere is no different, having paid out over $1.5 million through its Bug Bounty program with HackerOne since 2022.

HackerOne connects data-intensive businesses, like Deere, with cybersecurity researchers—ethical hackers. These researchers test and examine the company's systems, looking for any security vulnerabilities. For those issues they find, both big and small, they receive payment.

By working with HackerOne, Deere's security teams are better equipped to proactively identify system improvements and bolster information security, said Carl Kubalsky, director and deputy chief information security officer at Deere. "These hackers are selected from a pool of the best talent available through the HackerOne platform," he said. "We've had significant participation with 84 hackers currently involved and over 2,500 submissions received."

A researcher who goes by Archangel said he knows the reports he submits to Deere will be taken seriously. "The John Deere Bug Bounty program is world class," he said. "They aren't just interested in vulnerabilities on a handful of products, they accept and encourage findings across their entire ecosystem to ensure that their customers are safe regardless of which product(s) they are using."

Roy Arguilez, Staff Red Team Operator at Deere, appreciates their knowledge. "We consider our researchers to be almost like an extension of our team," he said. "This helps build trust, drive engagement, and helps us leverage their expertise."

As cyber threats evolve, Deere's proactive approach helps protect its operations and the customers who depend on its technology. ‡