LEBANON (Enmaeya News) - October 7, 2025

Semicolon Security, a Lebanese cybersecurity company, announced on Thursday that it had received a $50,000 award from Apple after identifying a bug that allowed hackers to access users' photos, according to L’Orient-Le Jour.

The company stated that it plans to reinvest the full amount into its community. The entire award will serve as the prize for its upcoming “Lebanon CTF 2026” competitive hacking event.

The event is set to take place at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and will feature more than 1,200 university students competing for the top three spots, under the supervision of cybersecurity experts.

Lebanese cybersecurity specialist Hassan Sheet of Semicolon Security discovered the flaw. His finding was one of the factors that led Apple to release iOS 18.4, which addressed the issue.

The vulnerability allowed hackers to access private photos, bypassing Face ID and advanced security settings without the user's knowledge. Sheet’s achievement was officially acknowledged on Apple’s updated security webpage.

Semicolon has a track record of working with Meta, Google, Microsoft, and NASA, and has previously reported over 3,000 vulnerabilities across various platforms.

The recognition marks a significant milestone for Lebanon’s growing cybersecurity scene, reflecting a rise in the potential of Lebanon as a player in global tech security.