How Hack: Dealing with Duplicate Bug Reports in Bug Bounty Hunting

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Bug bounty hunters often face the frustration of submitting a vulnerability report, only to discover it’s marked as a duplicate. This article explores strategies to minimize duplicates and maximize your success in platforms like HackerOne.

You Should Know:

1. Research Before Submitting

Before reporting a bug, ensure it hasn’t been reported already. Use these commands to search for existing vulnerabilities:

 Search for CVE databases 
curl -s "https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=<target_name>" | grep -E "CVE-[0-9]{4}-[0-9]+"

Check Wayback Machine for historical data 
waybackurls target.com | grep "vulnerable_endpoint"

2. Automate Recon to Find Unique Bugs

Use automated tools to uncover less obvious vulnerabilities:

 Subdomain enumeration 
subfinder -d target.com -o subdomains.txt 
assetfinder --subs-only target.com | anew subdomains.txt

Parameter discovery 
arjun -u https://target.com/api --get

3. Focus on Low-Hanging Fruit

Many hunters miss logic flaws or misconfigurations. Test for:
– IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference)
– JWT (JSON Web Token) weaknesses
– CORS misconfigurations

 Test for IDOR 
curl -X GET "https://target.com/api/user?id=123" -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

4. Monitor New Code Deployments

Track recent changes in web apps to find fresh vulnerabilities:

 Use GitDorker to find exposed secrets in GitHub 
python3 GitDorker.py -t <github_token> -q "target.com" -d dorks.txt

5. Report Quality Over Quantity

A well-documented report with PoC (Proof of Concept) reduces duplicates:

 Generate a simple HTTP PoC 
echo "Exploit: https://target.com/vuln_endpoint?param=malicious" > poc.txt

Prediction

As bug bounty programs grow, duplicate reports will increase. Hunters who leverage automation, focus on niche vulnerabilities, and improve report quality will stand out.

What Undercode Say

To avoid duplicates:

  • Use OSINT tools (Amass, Wayback Machine)
  • Prioritize logic bugs over common vulnerabilities
  • Automate early-stage recon to save time
  • Stay updated on target’s tech stack changes 
 Check for recent domain changes 
whois target.com | grep "Updated Date"

Expected Output:

  • Fewer duplicate reports
  • Higher bounty rewards
  • Improved efficiency in bug hunting

Relevant URLs:

This structured approach ensures you spend less time on duplicates and more time finding unique, high-impact vulnerabilities.

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Activity 7333154351315587072 – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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