Security and social impact

The GOhack24 Hack for Good demonstrated how technical expertise and social responsibility can come together to create meaningful impact. Over two days, ethical hackers tested the systems of program partners RaiseNow and Koalect for vulnerabilities. For every security flaw discovered, a donation was made to Save the Children Switzerland, resulting in an impressive total of CHF 5'000.

The following guest article by program partner RaiseNow provides exciting insights into their experience at this year’s event.

GObugfree Co-CEO Marcel Eyer explains the GOhack24 leaderboard

Testing RaiseNow and Koalect platforms: Hack for Good in action

At this year’s GOhack24, RaiseNow had the opportunity to test its platforms, RaiseNow Hub and Koalect, in a truly unique way. Over the course of two days, ethical hackers, also known as "friendly hackers," carefully scrutinized the systems to identify vulnerabilities. The goal was twofold: to strengthen the security of the systems for customers and partners and to make a positive social contribution. For every vulnerability successfully identified, a donation was triggered for Save the Children Switzerland.

What are ethical hackers?

Ethical hackers, or "white-hat hackers," are IT professionals who use their hacking skills to improve the security of computer systems. Unlike "black-hat hackers," who engage in illegal activities, ethical hackers operate legally and with the permission of the organizations whose systems they test. Their mission is to find and resolve security flaws before malicious hackers can exploit them. By using the same techniques and tools as black-hat hackers, ethical hackers play a vital role in cybersecurity, helping to prevent data breaches, system failures, and other security threats.

About Save the Children

Save the Children is dedicated to protecting children’s rights and ensuring they have a healthy start in life, access to education, and protection from violence. In Switzerland, the organization provides refugee children with safe spaces where they can play, learn, and grow.

Children show remarkable resilience, even under the most challenging conditions. Go Hack’s donation enables us to support even more children in Switzerland and worldwide – providing them with protection, education, and support so they can simply enjoy being children.
Maria Steinbauer, Director of Fundraising and Philanthropy, Save the Children Switzerland

Proudly raising CHF 5'000 for children in need

This year’s donation to Save the Children Switzerland totaled an impressive CHF 5,000. This amount was generated through the bug findings from the RaiseNow and Koalect challenges, alongside the generous gesture of one participant who donated their entire earnings to Save the Children. GObugfree, the event organizer and partner, rounded up the donation—a deeply moving gesture that highlights the dedication within the ethical hacker community.

Progress and key learnings

RaiseNow’s CTO Raphael attended the event and was thrilled by the chance to interact directly with the ethical hacker community. Here are his reflections:

Enhanced Security for RaiseNow: This year, significantly fewer low-critical vulnerabilities were found in RaiseNow's systems compared to the previous year, proving the effectiveness of bug bounty programs.
Product Optimization: While more findings were reported for the Koalect platform, such insights are invaluable for continuous product improvement.
Community Engagement: The event offered a unique opportunity to connect with ethical hackers, understand their methodologies, and gain valuable insights into their approaches.

A united effort for security and social impact

GOhack24 2024 is a powerful example of how technical expertise and social engagement can work hand in hand. With the support of the ethical hacker community, we not only strengthened the security of our platforms but also made a meaningful contribution to helping children in need.