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You won’t believe how this teen became Microsoft’s youngest cybersecurity star

Dylan isn’t your average school student. He started working with Microsoft at 13 and has already filed dozens of security bugs.

Updated on: Jul 3, 2025, 14:22:50 IST

What would you be doing right now if you were 13? Probably playing video games, scrolling through social media, or hanging out with friends. But a teenager was busy doing something quite extraordinary, finding security flaws in Microsoft’s software and catching the company’s attention at a very young age.

A teenage cybersecurity prodigy

Dylan, a school student, has become one of Microsoft’s youngest and most celebrated security researchers, balancing studies and bug-hunting. (Microsoft MSRC)
Dylan, a school student, has become one of Microsoft’s youngest and most celebrated security researchers, balancing studies and bug-hunting. (Microsoft MSRC)
By Bharat Sharma

It's an exciting time to be in love in with tech - whether it is AI solutions, the pace of gadget development, and other related technologies. As a tech journalist, I believe it has the potential to solve all of world's problems if used holistically, and my job is make to it more relatable and understandable.

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Microsoft recently featured Dylan in a company blog, calling him one of their youngest and most impressive security researchers. His journey with Microsoft started when he was just 13, collaborating with the Microsoft Security Response Center. Dylan’s talent was so remarkable that Microsoft actually changed its Bug Bounty Program rules to allow 13-year-olds to participate, just so he could officially join their community.

What makes Dylan’s story even more remarkable is how early his passion for technology began. While most kids were still learning basic coding, Dylan was already exploring the source code of educational platforms in primary school, unlocking games on school computers and bypassing network restrictions during the lockdown. These early experiments might have landed him in trouble, but instead of misusing his skills, he chose a responsible path. He reported a major vulnerability he found in Microsoft Teams, which could let someone take over any group. That moment marked his entry into ethical hacking and responsible disclosure, a world where hackers help companies fix problems instead of exploiting them.

Rising through the ranks

Since then, Dylan’s achievements have only grown. He has been named to Microsoft’s Security Response Center Most Valuable Researcher list twice, in 2022 and again in 2024. Just last summer, he filed 20 vulnerability reports, more than triple his previous total.

In April 2025, Dylan travelled all the way to Redmond, Washington, USA to compete in Microsoft’s prestigious Zero Day Quest hacking event. Against some of the best minds in cybersecurity, he secured third place, proving that age is no barrier when it comes to talent and determination.

Despite all these impressive milestones, Dylan still treats cybersecurity as a rewarding hobby. Like many school students, he balances his bug-hunting with studies, family time, and some sports. Microsoft’s blog describes him as someone equally interested in science and civics, with plans to attend security conferences and learn from global experts when he’s old enough.

 
Stay updated with the latest Technology News, gadget launches, app updates, artificial intelligence and digital trends. Find reviews, comparisons and useful insights from the world of tech.
Stay updated with the latest Technology News, gadget launches, app updates, artificial intelligence and digital trends. Find reviews, comparisons and useful insights from the world of tech.
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