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Introduction:
The journey to discovering your first CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is a rite of passage in the cybersecurity community. This article deconstructs the recent success of a new researcher, Yuhui Huang, who publicly announced his first CVE assignment, CVE-2025-60784. We will use this as a case study to provide a actionable roadmap for aspiring bug bounty hunters and security professionals, detailing the tools, techniques, and mindset required to go from novice to published vulnerability finder.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the end-to-end process of vulnerability discovery, from reconnaissance to public disclosure.
- Master essential command-line tools for web application reconnaissance and vulnerability testing.
- Develop a methodology for validating and responsibly reporting security flaws.
You Should Know:
1. The Initial Reconnaissance: Mapping the Attack Surface
Before a single vulnerability can be found, you must understand the target. The initial phase involves enumerating subdomains, identifying technologies, and discovering hidden endpoints. This is where you cast a wide net to gather as much information as possible.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
Subdomain enumeration using subfinder subfinder -d target.com -silent | tee subdomains.txt Using amass for passive and active reconnaissance amass enum -passive -d target.com -o amass_passive.txt amass enum -active -d target.com -brute -w /usr/share/wordlists/subdomains.txt -o amass_active.txt Probing for live hosts from the subdomain list cat subdomains.txt | httpx -silent | tee live_hosts.txt Using waybackurls to find historical endpoints echo "target.com" | waybackurls | tee wayback_urls.txt
Step-by-step guide:
First, use `subfinder` and `amass` to build a comprehensive list of subdomains. The `-silent` flag in `subfinder` keeps the output clean. Next, pipe these subdomains into `httpx` to quickly determine which ones are active and responding to HTTP/HTTPS requests. Finally, leverage `waybackurls` to unearth URLs and parameters from historical web archive data, which often reveals deprecated but still functional and vulnerable endpoints.
2. Content Discovery: Finding Hidden Directories and Files
Web servers often host sensitive files and administrative panels in non-linked directories. Automated fuzzing is key to discovering these hidden resources.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
Directory fuzzing with FFUF ffuf -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt -u https://target.com/FUZZ -recursion -recursion-depth 2 -o ffuf_results.html -of html Fuzzing for specific file extensions ffuf -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt -u https://target.com/FUZZ -e .php,.bak,.txt,.json,.xml -fc 403 Using Gobuster for a quick scan gobuster dir -u https://target.com -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt -x php,html,js -t 50
Step-by-step guide:
`FFUF` is a fast web fuzzer. The `-w` flag specifies the wordlist, `-u` is the target URL with `FUZZ` as the placeholder, and `-recursion` tells it to fuzz discovered directories. The `-fc 403` filter hides “Forbidden” responses, cleaning up your output. Start with common wordlists like `common.txt` or directory-list-2.3-medium.txt, and always fuzz for common backup file extensions (e.g., .bak, .old) which can contain source code leaks.
3. Vulnerability Probing: Testing for Common Web Flaws
With a list of endpoints, the next step is to test for common vulnerabilities like SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF).
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
Using SQLmap to test for SQL Injection
sqlmap -u "https://target.com/page.php?id=1" --batch --level=3 --risk=2 --dbs
Automated XSS scanning with Dalfox
cat live_hosts_with_params.txt | dalfox pipe --skip-bav -w 100
Testing for SSRF with a collaborator payload
curl -X POST https://target.com/webhook -d '{"url":"http://your-burp-collaborator.net"}'
Step-by-step guide:
For SQLi, `sqlmap` automates the process of detecting and exploiting database flaws. The `–batch` flag runs it non-interactively, and `–dbs` attempts to enumerate databases. For XSS, `dalfox` can take a list of URLs with parameters (e.g., from `waybackurls` or gau) and efficiently test them. For SSRF, manually test any parameter that accepts a URL by using a tool like Burp Collaborator to see if the server makes an outbound request to your domain.
4. Analyzing the Target’s Technology Stack
Knowing the underlying technology (e.g., WordPress, Jenkins, .NET) allows you to focus your testing on framework-specific vulnerabilities.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
Using Wappalyzer via CLI (whatweb) for technology detection whatweb https://target.com -v Nuclei scanning for known vulnerabilities in detected tech nuclei -u https://target.com -t /nuclei-templates/technologies/ -severity low,medium,high,critical WordPress-specific scanning with WPScan wpscan --url https://target.com --enumerate p,t,u --api-token YOUR_API_TOKEN
Step-by-step guide:
Run `whatweb` against your target to identify web servers, CMS, JavaScript libraries, and other components. Feed the list of live hosts into nuclei, a powerful scanner that uses community-made templates to check for thousands of known vulnerabilities. If `whatweb` detects WordPress, immediately run `wpscan` to enumerate plugins, themes, and users, which are common sources of vulnerabilities.
- Manual Code Review: The Source of Critical Bugs
Automated tools find low-hanging fruit, but critical vulnerabilities like Broken Access Control or Business Logic Flaws often require manual analysis.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
// Example: Analyzing a JavaScript file for API endpoints and secrets
// Look for patterns like:
const API_KEY = "sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx";
fetch('/api/v1/admin/users');
Step-by-step guide:
Manually review the client-side source code (HTML, JavaScript) of the application. Use browser developer tools (F12) to inspect the “Sources” and “Network” tabs. Look for hardcoded API keys, secrets, or internal API endpoints referenced in JavaScript files. Pay close attention to `fetch` or `XMLHttpRequest` calls that might reveal administrative functions not linked in the UI.
6. Validating and Documenting the Finding
Once a potential vulnerability is identified, you must prove its impact and document it clearly for the vendor.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
Creating a simple Proof-of-Concept (PoC) HTML file for an XSS echo '<script>alert(document.domain)</script>' > poc.html Using curl to demonstrate an IDOR vulnerability curl -H "Cookie: user_id=65432" https://target.com/api/user/12345/profile
Step-by-step guide:
A valid Proof-of-Concept is crucial. For an XSS, create a script that triggers an alert box. For an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference), use `curl` with a low-privilege user’s session cookie to access another user’s data, demonstrating the lack of access control. Screenshots and video recordings are also highly recommended. Your report must include clear steps to reproduce, the impact of the vulnerability, and the proposed fix.
7. The Disclosure Process: From Report to CVE
Responsible disclosure is the final, critical step. This involves reporting the bug to the vendor and, if qualified, pursuing a public CVE ID.
Verified Commands & Code Snippets:
N/A – This is a procedural step.
Step-by-step guide:
- Locate the vendor’s security contact or bug bounty program (often at
/.well-known/security.txt). - Submit a detailed, professional report via their preferred channel.
- Allow a reasonable time for the vendor to patch the issue (typically 90 days).
- If the vulnerability is significant and the vendor is non-responsive, you can request a CVE through a CVE Numbering Authority (CNA) such as MITRE or various open-source projects. The report linked in the source post is a perfect example of the final deliverable.
What Undercode Say:
- Methodology Over Luck: Success in bug hunting is not random; it’s the result of a systematic and persistent application of a proven methodology.
- Automation is a Force Multiplier: Efficient hunters use tools like
ffuf,nuclei, and `sqlmap` to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for deep, manual analysis where the most critical bugs are found.
The public announcement of a first CVE is a significant milestone that demonstrates a transition from theoretical knowledge to practical application. The researcher’s note about finding “many bugs on a Foxconn company website” underscores a critical point: persistence and volume are key. You may need to find dozens of minor issues before uncovering a critical one worthy of a CVE. This achievement validates the entire process—from initial recon with open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools to the final, responsible disclosure. It proves that the barrier to entry is not insurmountable for those willing to invest the time to learn and apply these techniques diligently.
Prediction:
The democratization of vulnerability research, fueled by accessible tools and public learning resources, will lead to an exponential increase in discovered CVEs, particularly in the IoT and supply chain sectors. As more individuals follow this path, organizations will face greater scrutiny, forcing a industry-wide shift from reactive patching to proactive, secure-by-design development practices. The researcher’s journey from aspiration to a published CVE is a microcosm of this larger, evolving landscape.
🎯Let’s Practice For Free:
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Hackhuang I – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
