Episode 159: Avoiding Downgrades on Google Cloud VRP with Cote and Darby Hopkins

Episode 159: In this episode of Critical Thinking - Bug Bounty Podcast we sit down with the Google Cloud VRP Team to deep-dive policy and reward changes, what the panel process looks like, and how to best configure for success.

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Today’s Guests:
Darby Hopkins (linkedin.com/in/darbyhopkins)
Michael Cote (linkedin.com/in/michaelpatrickcote)

====== This Week in Bug Bounty ======
AI Red Teaming Explained by AI Red Teamers (hackerone.com/blog/ai-red-teaming-explained-by…)

Good Faith AI Research Safe Harbor (hackerone.com/press-release/hackerone-sets-sta…)

Join the Adobe LHE at NULLCON GOA (nullcon.net/goa-2026)

====== Resources ======

‘Legendary Guy’ - Jakub Domeracki (x.com/GoogleVRP/status/2013660670076555418)

Google Cloud VRP rewards rules (bughunters.google.com/about/rules/google-frien…)

Google Cloud VRP product tiers (github.com/google/bughunters/blob/main/cloud-t…)

Bug Hunters blog on the 2025 Google Cloud VRP bugSWAT (bughunters.google.com/blog/hardening-google-cl…)

Google VRP Discord (discord.com/invite/bzA9gc6Z)

Google VRP on X (x.com/GoogleVRP)

====== Timestamps ======

(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:10:03) CloudVRP Bugswat Event Breakdown
(00:16:40) VRP Policy & Rewards Changes
(00:04:50) Panel Process
(01:00:08) Configuring for Success & Avoiding Downgrades
(01:33:47) Scenarios for Success