Bug bounty programs are designed to reward security researchers for finding vulnerabilities, but some programs ban researchers instead of fixing the issues. This unethical practice allows companies to avoid paying bounties while silently patching flaws.
You Should Know: Bug Bounty Hunting Essentials
To avoid unfair bans and maximize success in bug bounty programs, follow these verified steps and commands:
1. Reconnaissance & Subdomain Enumeration
Use these tools to discover targets:
subfinder -d target.com -o subdomains.txt amass enum -d target.com -o amass_results.txt assetfinder --subs-only target.com | tee assets.txt
2. Vulnerability Scanning
Automate scans with Nuclei:
nuclei -l subdomains.txt -t ~/nuclei-templates/ -o vulnerabilities.txt
3. Manual Testing for Critical Bugs
Check for common vulnerabilities like IDOR:
curl -X GET "https://target.com/api/user?id=123" -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"
4. Reporting Ethically
Always follow the program’s rules. Use this template:
</dt> <dd>Unauthenticated SQL Injection Endpoint: `https://target.com/search?q=1'` Steps to Reproduce: 1. Visit the endpoint with a malicious payload. 2. Observe database leakage. Impact: Full database access.
5. Avoiding Unfair Bans
- Document Everything: Screen record your testing.
- Use VPNs/RDPs: Avoid IP bans.
sudo openvpn config.ovpn Change IP dynamically
Prediction
As bug bounty programs grow, more companies will exploit researchers by banning them instead of paying rewards. Decentralized bounty platforms may emerge to prevent censorship.
What Undercode Say
Bug bounty hunting is a high-risk, high-reward field. Protect yourself by:
– Using anonymity tools:
torify curl http://target.com
– Keeping logs of all interactions.
– Avoiding sketchy programs with poor reputations.
Expected Output:
A well-documented bug report, screenshots, and video proof to dispute unfair bans.
Relevant URLs:
References:
Reported By: Ahmad Zd – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
