Ben Hawkes

{{Short description|Computer security expert and white hat hacker, was employed by Goggle for a project}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

Ben Hawkes is a computer security expert and white hat hacker from New Zealand, previously employed by Google as manager of their Project Zero.{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/07/google-project-zero/|title=Meet 'Project Zero,' Google's Secret Team of Bug-Hunting Hackers|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|date=15 July 2014|publisher=Wired.com|accessdate=4 January 2015}} {{cite web |url=https://www.usenix.org/conference/enigma2016/speaker-or-organizer/ben-hawkes-google |title=Ben Hawkes |publisher=usenix.org |accessdate=January 13, 2019}}

Hawkes has been credited with finding dozens of flaws in computer software, such as within Adobe Flash, Microsoft Office,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/06/09/eight_new_microsoft_patches/|title=It's 2015 and hackers can hijack your Windows PC if you watch a web video|last=Nichols|first=Shaun|date=9 June 2015|website=The Register|access-date=19 March 2017}} Apple's iOS{{Cite news|url=http://www.thecountrycaller.com/15416-jailbreak-exploit-for-ios-1011-to-be-released-next-week/|title=Jailbreak Exploit for iOS 10.1.1 to be Released Next Week|last=Bock|first=Ken|work=The Country Caller|access-date=19 March 2017|language=en-US}} and the Linux kernel.{{Cite news|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/canonical-patches-multiple-kernel-vulnerabilities-in-all-supported-ubuntu-oses-507184.shtml|title=Canonical Patches Multiple Kernel Vulnerabilities in All Supported Ubuntu OSes|last=Nestor|first=Marius|work=softpedia|access-date=19 March 2017|language=en-us}}{{Cite news|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/canonical-patches-multiple-openssh-vulnerabilities-in-supported-ubuntu-oses-503973.shtml|title=Canonical Patches Multiple OpenSSH Vulnerabilities in Supported Ubuntu OSes|last=Nestor|first=Marius|work=softpedia|access-date=19 March 2017|language=en-us}} His role was acknowledged, for instance, in an Adobe 2015 security bulletin, which announced updates that addressed critical vulnerabilities that allowed hackers to take control of the affected system.{{Cite web|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb15-16.html|title=Adobe Security Bulletin|website=helpx.adobe.com|access-date=2019-03-06}} In 2019, he reported two vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to tap iPhone microphones and spy on calls.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/apple-patched-two-actively-exploited-zero-days-in-ios-1214/|title=Apple Patched Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days in iOS 12.1.4|last=Gatlan|first=Sergiu|date=February 8, 2019|website=BleepingComputer|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-06}}

Before Hawkes became part of Project Zero, he was first part of the Google team tasked with the security of Google's product launches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usenix.org/conference/enigma2016/speaker-or-organizer/ben-hawkes-google|title=Ben Hawkes {{!}} USENIX|website=www.usenix.org|access-date=2019-03-06}} Hawkes regularly publishes research on his works, particularly on vulnerability analysis and software exploitation such as novel heap exploitation techniques on Windows.