Getting Started in Bug Bounty

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Welcome to my updated blog on Bug Bounty! I’ve received a lot of requests and questions regarding various aspects of Bug Bounty, such as how to get started, how to avoid duplicates, what to do after reading a few books, and how to create effective reports. I am here to answer all of these questions and more, starting with the basics and prerequisites and moving on to advanced tips and labs. I’ll also share some of my personal recommendations and tips for writing great reports. I hope you find this information helpful and informative. Thanks for stopping by!

What is Bug Bounty?

Bug Bounty is a program offered by organizations and companies to incentivize individuals to identify and report vulnerabilities or errors in their computer systems and software. These bugs, if left unaddressed, can potentially be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or disrupt the normal functioning of the system.

By offering a reward for the identification and responsible reporting of these bugs, companies are able to proactively identify and patch vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This not only improves the overall security of the system, but also helps to build trust with customers and users by demonstrating a commitment to protecting their data and privacy.

Bug Bounty programs can vary in scope and size, with some companies offering large cash rewards for critical vulnerabilities, while others may offer recognition or swag. Some companies also have a public Bug Bounty program while others have a private one that only accepts reports from a selected group of researchers.

Overall, Bug Bounty is a win-win situation for both the companies and the security researchers. Companies get to improve their security posture and researchers get to earn money or recognition for their work.

What is VDP and RDP?

RDP (Responsible Disclosure Program) and VDP (Vulnerability Disclosure Program) are both programs that are designed to identify and address vulnerabilities in computer systems and software. However, the two programs have a few key differences.

RDP, as the name suggests, is a program that rewards individuals for responsibly disclosing any vulnerabilities they find in a company’s systems or software. This means that the individual notifies the company of the vulnerability and provides them with enough information to replicate and fix the issue before making it public. In return, the individual is usually rewarded with a monetary compensation or recognition.

VDP, on the other hand, is a program that focuses on the responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities without any monetary compensation. The individual notifies the company of the vulnerability, and the company is expected to patch it as soon as possible. The individual is not rewarded with any monetary compensation, but they will receive recognition for their work.

In summary, RDP is a program that pays researchers for the vulnerabilities they find and disclose, while VDP is a program that only recognizes the researcher for their work but does not pay. Both programs aim to increase the overall security of the systems and software being used by the public, but RDP provides an additional incentive for researchers to participate.

What to study?

When it comes to studying for a career in cybersecurity or bug bounty hunting, there are several key areas that you should focus on. These include:

Internet, HTTP, and TCP/IP: Understanding the underlying protocols that make the internet work is essential for understanding how to identify and exploit vulnerabilities.

Networking: Knowledge of networking concepts such as IP addressing, DNS, and routing is necessary to understand how networks are set up and how to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in networked systems.

Command-line: Familiarity with command-line interfaces is crucial for working with Linux and other Unix-based systems, as well as for automating tasks and scripting.

Linux: Linux is a popular operating system used in servers, IoT devices and mobile devices, thus knowing how to use and navigate it is important for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities.

Web technologies: Understanding web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and Java is important for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in web-based systems.

Programming languages: Knowledge of at least one programming language such as Python, C, Java, or Ruby is important for understanding how software works and for writing scripts and tools to automate tasks and identify vulnerabilities.

Owasp top 10: Owasp top 10 is a list of the most critical web application security risks, knowing this will help you understand the most common type of vulnerabilities that you may encounter in web applications.

By studying these areas, you’ll gain a strong foundation in the skills and knowledge needed to identify and exploit vulnerabilities and become a successful bug bounty hunter or cybersecurity professional.

Which path I can choose?

When it comes to choosing a career path in the field of cybersecurity, there are several different areas that you can specialize in. Two popular paths include web application pentesting and mobile application pentesting.

Web application pentesting is the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in web-based systems. This can include anything from traditional web applications and websites to modern web-based platforms and APIs. To become a web application pentester, you should have a solid understanding of web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, and PHP, as well as the ability to write scripts and tools to automate tasks and identify vulnerabilities.

Android Application pentesting is the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in android applications. To become an android application pentester, you should have a solid understanding of android architecture, android security model, and knowledge of Java and Android SDK.

IOS Application pentesting is the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in iOS applications. To become an IOS application pentester, you should have a solid understanding of iOS architecture, iOS security model, and knowledge of Objective-C or Swift.

Both of these paths require knowledge of the OWASP Top 10, and an understanding of common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery. Additionally, both paths require the ability to work with different tools and methodologies to identify and exploit vulnerabilities.

Choose the path that best aligns with your interests, skills and experience. Remember that, in addition to the technical knowledge, soft skills like communication, problem-solving and critical thinking are also important to succeed in this field.

Where can I report and earn?

When it comes to participating in bug bounty programs, there are several different platforms that you can use to find and report vulnerabilities. Some of these platforms are open to everyone, while others are invite-based.

Open for Signup Platforms:

HackerOne: HackerOne is one of the most popular bug bounty platforms, with a large number of programs and a wide range of rewards. It is open to anyone to sign up and participate.

Bugcrowd: Bugcrowd is another popular bug bounty platform with a wide range of programs and rewards. It also offers a crowdsourced penetration testing service and a Vulnerability Rating Taxonomy.

HackenProof: HackenProof is a platform for bug bounty and vulnerability coordination. It offers a wide range of programs and rewards and is open for anyone to sign up.

BugBounty.jp: BugBounty.jp is a platform that focuses on the Japanese market, offering bug bounty programs for Japanese companies and rewards in Japanese Yen.

Intigriti: Intigriti is a European-based platform with a wide range of programs and rewards. It offers a variety of programs, from web and mobile applications to IoT and hardware.

Open Bug Bounty: Open Bug Bounty is a platform for responsible vulnerability coordination and disclosure. It allows anyone to report a vulnerability on any website, regardless of whether the website has a bug bounty program or not.

Invite-based Platforms:

Synack: Synack is a platform that combines the power of human and machine intelligence to identify vulnerabilities. It is an invite-only platform and require a rigorous selection process.

Yogosha: Yogosha is a Japanese-based platform that focuses on the Japanese market. It is an invite-only platform and requires an application process to participate.

These platforms offer a variety of programs and rewards, and they provide a great opportunity for individuals to earn recognition and compensation for identifying and reporting vulnerabilities. It’s important to note that these are not the only platforms available, but they are some of the most popular and widely used in the community.

When it comes to participating in bug bounty programs and hunting for vulnerabilities, there are several key points to keep in mind:

Choose wisely: Don’t just focus on the potential rewards when selecting a program to participate in. Take into consideration the scope of the program, the complexity of the target, and the likelihood of finding a vulnerability.

Select a bug for the hunt: Before starting to look for bugs, choose a specific type of vulnerability that you want to focus on. This will help you to stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked by other potential bugs.

Exhaustive search: Always thoroughly test the target for vulnerabilities. Don’t just rely on automated tools to find bugs, use manual testing methods as well. The more testing you do, the more likely you are to find a vulnerability.

Not straight forward always: Vulnerabilities are not always obvious and easy to find. Sometimes, they are hidden deep within the system or require a creative approach to uncover. Don’t give up too easily if you don’t find a vulnerability right away.

Remember, the process of finding a vulnerability can be long and challenging, but with the right mindset, skills, and tools, you can increase your chances of success. Keep learning and experimenting, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance from others in the community.

When submitting a report of a vulnerability that you have found, it’s important to provide enough information for the program owner to understand and reproduce the issue. In order to write an effective report and submit a bug, it’s important to:

Create a descriptive report: Provide clear and detailed information about the vulnerability, including its name, description, affected URL, and any other relevant information. Make sure that the report is easy to understand and follow.

Follow responsible disclosure policy: Always follow the responsible disclosure policy of the program you’re reporting to. This means that you should only report vulnerabilities to the program owner, and not to any other parties, and wait for the program owner to address the issue before publicly disclosing the vulnerability.

Create POC and steps to reproduce: Create a proof of concept (POC) that demonstrates the vulnerability and provides detailed steps on how to reproduce the vulnerability. This should include all the necessary information such as any specific configurations or settings that need to be in place.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your report is clear, concise, and effective, which will help the program owner to understand and replicate the vulnerability, making it easier to develop a fix and assign an appropriate bounty.

When submitting a report of a vulnerability that you have found, it’s important to provide enough information for the program owner to understand and reproduce the issue. A good format to follow is:

Vulnerability Name: Provide a brief, descriptive name for the vulnerability. This will help the program owner quickly identify and refer to the issue.

Vulnerability Description: Describe the vulnerability in detail, including what type of vulnerability it is and how it can be exploited.

Vulnerable URL: Provide the URL of the affected page or system.

Payload: Share the payload used to reproduce the vulnerability.

Steps to Reproduce: Provide detailed steps on how to reproduce the vulnerability. This should include all the necessary information such as any specific configurations or settings that need to be in place.

Impact: Explain the potential impact of the vulnerability, such as what kind of data or access could be compromised if the vulnerability was exploited.

Mitigation: Provide recommendations on how the vulnerability can be fixed.

It’s important to provide clear, concise and accurate information in the report, also providing screenshots, videos or other evidence that can help the program owners to understand and reproduce the vulnerability.

By providing a clear and detailed report, the program owner will be able to quickly understand and replicate the vulnerability, making it easier to develop a fix and assign an appropriate bounty.

Here is a list of books on various aspects of bug bounty hunting:

Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto The Bug Hunter’s Methodology by Jason Haddix API Security in Action by Paulo Coimbra and Eric Johnson Android Hacker’s Handbook by Joshua J. Drake, et al. Network Security Assessment: Know Your Network by Chris McNab The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Discovering and Exploiting Security Flaws by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto Bug Bounty Hunting Essentials by Mohit Kumar Hacking: The Art of Exploitation by Jon Erickson The Hacker Playbook 3: Practical Guide To Penetration Testing by Peter Kim Note that, These are only recommendations, it is always a good idea to read reviews and check the table of contents to make sure the book is a good fit for your current knowledge level and learning goals.

When it comes to bug bounty hunting and cybersecurity, there are several words of wisdom to keep in mind:

Patience is the key: Bug bounty hunting and cybersecurity is a challenging field that takes time and effort to master. Don’t fall for the idea of overnight success, it takes years of practice and learning to become a skilled researcher.

Don’t expect spoon-feeding: Don’t expect others to give you all the answers. The best way to learn is by experimenting and trying new things on your own.

Confidence: Believe in your abilities and don’t be afraid to take risks. Confidence is important when it comes to identifying and reporting vulnerabilities.

Not always for bounty: Participating in bug bounty programs is not always about the rewards. It’s also an opportunity to learn and improve your skills.

Learn a lot: Bug bounty hunting and cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. Stay updated with the latest tools, techniques, and trends in the InfoSec world.

Won’t find at the beginning, don’t lose hope: Finding a vulnerability is not easy, it takes time and effort. Keep trying, don’t lose hope, and stay motivated.

Stay focused: Stay focused on your goals, and don’t get distracted by other opportunities or shiny new tools.

Depend on yourself: This means taking the initiative to learn new skills, experimenting with different tools and techniques, and staying motivated and focused on your goals.

In this fast-paced and ever-evolving field, it’s also crucial to stay updated with the latest trends and developments in the InfoSec world. This can include keeping up with new vulnerabilities, exploits, and tools, as well as participating in the community and networking with other cybersecurity professionals.

As a final note, always remember that bug bounty hunting and cybersecurity is a challenging and rewarding field, and it takes time and effort to master. Happy Hacking, and thanks for reading!

Regards,
Manojkumar J
Cybersecurity Expert, CEO of Hacker Bro Technologies