How Sweed’s Bug Bounty Program Is Raising the Bar for Cannabis Tech Security

Read the formal Press Release here.

We are thrilled to announce Sweed’s Bug Bounty program, a historic first for cannabis retail technology, marking the evolution and maturity of the industry. This program aims to promote tech accountability and transparency in an industry that has often been characterized by fragmented tools and unreliable development. Through this program, Sweed seeks to demonstrate that security is a foundational product value, not an afterthought.

“Trust is earned, and by welcoming the security community into our process, we’re building software that grows stronger with every test.” – Rocco Del Priore, Sweed co-founder.

Why Security Matters More Than Ever in Cannabis Retail

Because of the highly sensitive consumer data that retailers handle every day, and the highly regulated environment that cannabis operates in, these businesses must operate on technology with high standards for security. As the industry continues to grow and scale, especially as businesses add new systems and platforms, it’s essential to recognize that every integration point becomes a potential risk.

These dynamics have been a driving force behind Sweed’s decision to open its systems to ethical hackers, to demonstrate a new level of transparency, accountability, and confidence in its technology. Because while competitors may be focused on adding new features quickly, Sweed is committed to proving that rust is the most valuable feature.

What Is a Bug Bounty Program, and Why Is It Rare in Cannabis Tech?

While Bug Bounty Programs are standard in the mainstream tech and security space, this is a new concept for the cannabis industry. Through these programs, researchers are invited to test approved web services and infrastructure within a defined scope.

The goal of a Bug Bounty program is to invite independent security researchers to test a company's systems for vulnerabilities.

Here’s how Sweed’s Bug Bounty program works:

Researchers who discover verified issues are rewarded up to $2,000, depending on the severity of the issue found, with rewards scaling based on the CVSS security level of the vulnerabilities discovered.
The program is hosted on HackenProof, a trusted cybersecurity platform.
Sweed’s internal security and engineering team continuously monitors submissions and expands the program scope over time.

Learn more at https://hackenproof.com/programs/sweed-web

Building Trust Through Transparency: Security as a Competitive Differentiator

Most cannabis tech is built fast, not securely, with other platforms having been criticized for their lax data practices and reliance on third-party integrations that introduce risk. But Sweed is setting a different standard by implementing an intelligent all-in-one architecture with security engineered into every layer, not outsourced.

This Bug Bounty program aims to demonstrate Sweed's confidence in its engineering quality and security culture, and further our mission to make cannabis retail technology trusted, compliant, and intelligent. By inviting outside scrutiny, Sweed is also setting an example for openness and continuous improvement, while also showing cannabis retail operators that they don’t have to settle for unreliable technology that leaves them, their data, and their customers vulnerable to security threats.

“We’re not just securing software. We’re protecting uptime, compliance, and every interaction that drives your business.” – Rocco Del Priore, Sweed co-founder.

What This Means for Sweed Customers

This program isn’t just about setting a new standard for the industry; it will also deliver tangible benefits to Sweed users, including:

Greater platform stability and uptime.
Reduced risk of data breaches or compliance gaps.
Enhanced confidence in customer privacy protections.
A partner that’s proactively investing in their long-term success, not just reactive to threats.

Additionally, this isn’t just a one-time program, but rather a demonstration of our continued commitment to the security and trust of our customers. One that is baked into every part of our platform:

Real Partnership + Support: Collaborating with global security researchers and customers to strengthen the platform together.
Built for Operators: Reinforcing the reliability, uptime, and compliance that dispensaries depend on.
Experience-Obsessed: Ensuring every customer touchpoint, from loyalty to checkout, is safe, seamless, and effortless.
AI-Ready Data: Protecting the intelligence layer that powers personalization and marketing insights.
All-in-One That Works: Confidence that every module in the ecosystem is protected and resilient.

Looking Ahead

Sweed’s Bug Bounty Program is just one part of an evolving, multi-layered security approach. One that continues to be central to Sweed’s mission and the platform we deliver to hundreds of retailers across the United States every day.

As the program expands, new system areas will be added for testing, with the hope that future enhancements will continue to drive the industry toward higher standards of security, compliance, and trust.

Learn more about the Sweed Bug Bounty Program in our official press release here.