
Bug bounty hunting is a way of finding and reporting security vulnerabilities in web applications, websites, or software products. Bug bounty hunters are rewarded by the companies or organizations that own the vulnerable systems for their efforts and skills. Bug bounty hunting can be a lucrative and exciting career option for anyone who is interested in cybersecurity and hacking.
But how do you become a bug bounty hunter and earn money in 2023? Here are some steps that can help you get started:
1. Learn the basics of web application security: You need to have a solid understanding of how web applications work, what are the common security risks and vulnerabilities, and how to exploit them. You can learn from online courses, books, blogs, podcasts, videos, or any other resources that suit your learning style. Some of the topics that you should cover are:
• Web application architecture and technologies
• HTTP protocol and requests
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other web development languages
• SQL and NoSQL databases and injection attacks
• Cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and other web-based attacks
• Authentication and authorization mechanisms and bypasses
• Session management and cookie manipulation
• File upload and inclusion vulnerabilities
• Server-side request forgery (SSRF) and remote code execution (RCE)
• Directory traversal and path traversal attacks
• Subdomain takeover and DNS hijacking
• Web application firewalls (WAF) and bypass techniques
• API security and testing tools
2. Practice your skills on vulnerable web applications: Before you start hunting for real bugs on bug bounty programs, you need to practice your skills on intentionally vulnerable web applications that are designed for learning purposes. These web applications simulate real-world scenarios and challenges that you may encounter on bug bounty programs. You can find many of these web applications online, such as:
• BugBountyHunter (https://www.bugbountyhunter.com/): A website that offers free and paid challenges based on real bug bounty findings. You can learn about various vulnerability types, techniques, and bypasses while embracing the hacker mindset.
• Google Bug Hunters ( https://bughunters.google.com/): A community platform that allows you to report security vulnerabilities on Google products and services. You can also access Bug Hunter University, which provides tips, guides, write-ups, and resources to help you learn more about bug hunting.
• OWASP Juice Shop (https://owasp.org/www-project-juice-shop/): An open-source web application that contains over 100 vulnerabilities of different categories and difficulty levels. You can download it and run it locally or access it online.
• Hack The Box (https://www.hackthebox.eu/): A platform that offers various hacking labs, machines, challenges, and competitions for beginners and experts alike. You can practice your skills on realistic web applications, networks, systems, and more.
3. Join bug bounty platforms and programs: Once you feel confident enough with your skills and knowledge, you can start looking for real bugs on bug bounty platforms and programs. Bug bounty platforms are intermediaries that connect bug hunters with companies or organizations that run bug bounty programs. Bug bounty programs are initiatives that offer rewards for finding and reporting security vulnerabilities on their systems. Some of the popular bug bounty platforms and programs are:
HackerOne (https://www.hackerone.com/): A platform that hosts over 2,000 bug bounty programs from various industries, such as technology, finance, e-commerce, gaming, government, etc. You can find programs from companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, PayPal, Uber, Airbnb, etc.
Bugcrowd (https://www.bugcrowd.com/): A platform that hosts over 1,000 bug bounty programs from various sectors, such as automotive, healthcare, education, retail, etc. You can find programs from companies like Tesla, Netflix, Zoom, Mastercard, etc.
Synack (https://www.synack.com/): A platform that offers a curated network of vetted security researchers who can access exclusive bug bounty programs from high-profile clients. You need to pass an assessment test to join Synack.
Google VRP (https://bughunters.google.com/): A program that rewards researchers for finding and reporting security vulnerabilities on Google products and services. You can also access Google Bug Hunters community platform to learn more about bug hunting.
Facebook Bug Bounty (https://www.facebook.com/whitehat/): A program that rewards researchers for finding and reporting security vulnerabilities on Facebook products and services. You can also access Facebook Whitehat Academy to learn more about bug hunting.
4. Follow the rules and best practices of bug hunting: When you join a bug bounty program or platform, you need to follow the rules and guidelines that they provide. These rules may vary depending on the program or platform, but some of the common ones are:
• Read the scope and eligibility criteria of the program carefully. Only test the systems that are in scope and avoid testing the systems that are out of scope or explicitly forbidden.
• Respect the privacy and data of the users and customers of the program. Do not access, modify, delete, or disclose any sensitive or personal data that you may encounter during your testing.
• Report the bugs that you find as soon as possible and provide clear and detailed information on how to reproduce them. Include screenshots, videos, proof-of-concept code, impact analysis, and mitigation suggestions if possible.
• Do not disclose or share the bugs that you find with anyone else until the program owner confirms that they have fixed them or gives you permission to do so. Do not exploit the bugs for malicious purposes or cause any harm or damage to the systems.
• Be professional and courteous in your communication with the program owners and other bug hunters. Do not spam, harass, or abuse anyone or use offensive language or behavior.
5. Learn from the feedback and improve your skills: Bug hunting is a continuous learning process that requires you to keep up with the latest trends and technologies in web security. You may not always find bugs or get rewarded for your efforts, but you can always learn from the feedback and experience that you gain. Some of the ways that you can learn from the feedback and improve your skills are:
• Read the reports and write-ups of other bug hunters who have found interesting or critical bugs on the same or similar programs that you are testing. You can learn new techniques, tools, tips, and tricks from them.
• Participate in the discussions and forums of the bug hunting community. You can ask questions, share your findings, give feedback, and network with other bug hunters who have similar interests and goals.
• Keep track of your progress and performance on bug bounty platforms and programs. You can use metrics such as number of bugs reported, number of bugs accepted, number of bugs resolved, amount of rewards earned, etc. to measure your success and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• Seek mentorship or guidance from experienced bug hunters who can help you with your challenges and doubts. You can also join online courses, webinars, workshops, or events that are related to bug hunting and web security.
Bug bounty hunting is a rewarding and challenging career option for anyone who is passionate about cybersecurity and hacking. By following these steps, you can become a bug bounty hunter and earn money in 2023. Happy hunting! 😊
Also you can visit and read articles:
(1) Beginner’s Guide to Ethical Hacking and Bug Bounty Programs – cybersamir.
(1) What is Bug Bounty Hunting? Untangling the Queries! – RedTeam. https://redteamacademy.com/what-is-bug-bounty-hunting-2/.
(2) How to Get Started With Bug Bounty? – GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-get-started-with-bug-bounty/.
(3) 10 Famous Bug Bounty Hunters of All Time – HackRead. https://hackread.com/10-famous-bug-bounty-hunters-of-all-time/.
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