2025-02-10
In a recent live hacking event, a bold claim was made by one of Intigriti’s customers: “This feature is unhackable, I’m willing to bet on it!” The customer was so confident that they offered a €40K bounty to anyone who could prove them wrong. The challenge was accepted, and the results were astonishing.
The mission was clear: hackers had to find a way to reveal a secret guarded by the so-called “unhackable” feature. The time frame was tight—only 8 hours to prove a point. However, one hacker managed to crack the feature in just 10 minutes, including the time taken to write the report.
Despite spending 14 days hacking on the target, the winning hacker had only briefly interacted with the feature before moving on to other targets. However, by narrowing the scope and setting a clear goal, the hacker was able to focus their creativity and find the flaw almost immediately after the challenge was introduced.
The result was a €35K bonus on a bug that would typically have been worth €5K. The customer did not feel they had overpaid, as the discovery not only exposed a flaw in the feature but also revealed a design pattern they had previously believed to be impenetrable.
Key Takeaways:
- Never Declare Something Unhackable: If you want hackers to focus on a particular feature, declare it unhackable. This will attract their attention and creativity.
- Narrow the Scope: Limiting the scope to a single feature can unleash unprecedented levels of creativity and focus.
- Success is Often Closer Than You Think: Sometimes, all it takes is a slight push or a change in perspective to uncover a critical flaw.
Practical Commands and Codes:
Here are some practical Linux commands and tools that can be used in bug bounty hunting and vulnerability research:
1. Nmap: A powerful network scanning tool.
nmap -sV -sC target.com
2. Dirb: A web content scanner.
dirb http://target.com /usr/share/dirb/wordlists/common.txt
3. SQLmap: Automated SQL injection tool.
sqlmap -u "http://target.com/page?id=1" --dbs
4. Nikto: Web server vulnerability scanner.
nikto -h http://target.com
5. Metasploit: Exploitation framework.
msfconsole use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue set RHOSTS target.com exploit
6. Gobuster: Directory and file brute-forcing tool.
gobuster dir -u http://target.com -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirbuster/directory-list-2.3-medium.txt
7. Wfuzz: Web application fuzzing tool.
wfuzz -c -z file,/usr/share/wordlists/dirbuster/directory-list-2.3-medium.txt --hc 404 http://target.com/FUZZ
8. Hydra: Password cracking tool.
hydra -l admin -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt target.com http-post-form "/login:username=^USER^&password=^PASS^:F=incorrect"
9. John the Ripper: Password cracking tool.
john --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt hashes.txt
10. Tcpdump: Packet analyzer.
tcpdump -i eth0 -w capture.pcap
What Undercode Say:
Bug bounty hunting is a challenging yet rewarding field that requires a combination of creativity, technical skills, and persistence. The story of the Intigriti hacker who earned €40K in just 10 minutes is a testament to the importance of focus and the power of a clear goal. By narrowing the scope to a single feature, the hacker was able to channel their creativity and uncover a critical flaw that had been overlooked for days.
In the world of cybersecurity, no system is truly unhackable. The key is to continuously test and challenge your assumptions. Tools like Nmap, SQLmap, and Metasploit are essential for any bug bounty hunter, but it’s the mindset and approach that often make the difference between success and failure.
Remember, the next time you encounter a system or feature that is declared “unhackable,” take it as a challenge. With the right tools, techniques, and a bit of creativity, you might just uncover a vulnerability that could earn you a significant bounty.
For further reading and resources, check out the following links:
– Nmap Official Documentation
– SQLmap User Guide
– Metasploit Unleashed
– OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
– Bug Bounty Platforms
By continuously honing your skills and staying updated with the latest tools and techniques, you can become a formidable force in the world of bug bounty hunting and cybersecurity.
References:
Hackers Feeds, Undercode AI
