How to Hack: Finding Underrated Vulnerabilities for Your First Bug Bounty

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Introduction:

Many aspiring ethical hackers focus solely on high-severity vulnerabilities, overlooking simpler bugs that can still yield rewards. Faiyaz Ahmad, an Offensive Security Engineer and bug bounty hunter, highlights how a subscriber landed their first bounty by exploiting an underrated vulnerability—proving that persistence and unconventional thinking pay off.

What Undercode Say:

  • Key Takeaway 1: Low-severity bugs are often ignored, making them easier to exploit in real-world scenarios.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Practical, demo-driven learning (like Faiyaz’s videos) accelerates success more than theoretical knowledge alone.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify overlooked vulnerabilities in web applications.
  • Learn practical testing techniques from real bug bounty examples.
  • Apply unconventional methods to discover exploitable flaws.

You Should Know:

1. Testing for Improper Error Handling

Command (Linux):

curl -X POST "https://target.com/login" -d "username=admin&password=invalid" -v

What This Does:

Sends a malformed login request to expose error messages that may leak sensitive data (e.g., stack traces, database errors).

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Use `curl` to send invalid credentials.

2. Check the response for verbose error details.

  1. If the server discloses backend info (e.g., SQL errors), report it as an information disclosure bug.

2. Exploiting Open Redirects

Command (Linux):

curl -I "https://target.com/redirect?url=https://evil.com"

What This Does:

Tests if a website allows arbitrary redirects to external domains—a common low-severity bug.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Append a malicious URL to the `redirect` parameter.
  2. Use `curl -I` to check if the server responds with a `302 Found` redirect.
  3. Report if the site fails to validate redirect destinations.

3. Detecting Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR)

Command (Browser DevTools):

fetch("/api/user/1234", { method: "GET" })
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));

What This Does:

Attempts to access another user’s data by manipulating the user ID in an API request.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Log in and inspect API calls in DevTools.
  2. Change the user ID in the request (e.g., from `1234` to 1235).
  3. If unauthorized data is returned, report it as an IDOR vulnerability.

4. Checking for Clickjacking Vulnerabilities

HTML PoC:


<iframe src="https://target.com/account" width="500" height="500"></iframe>

What This Does:

Tests if a site can be embedded in a malicious frame, potentially tricking users into unintended actions.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Create an HTML file with the iframe targeting a sensitive page.
  2. Open it in a browser—if the page loads, the site lacks `X-Frame-Options` protection.

3. Report missing anti-clickjacking headers.

5. Testing for Weak CORS Policies

JavaScript Snippet:

fetch("https://target.com/api/data", { 
method: "GET", 
credentials: "include" 
}).then(response => console.log(response));

What This Does:

Checks if the API allows cross-origin requests with credentials, which could lead to data theft.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Run this script from an attacker-controlled domain.

  1. If the request succeeds, the CORS policy is misconfigured.

3. Report overly permissive `Access-Control-Allow-Origin` headers.

Prediction:

As bug bounty programs grow, attackers will increasingly target low-hanging fruit—underrated bugs that defenders ignore. Ethical hackers who master these overlooked flaws will gain an edge, turning minor vulnerabilities into consistent payouts.

Final Advice:

  • Watch real-world exploit demos (like Faiyaz’s video).
  • Automate reconnaissance with tools like `ffuf` or Burp Suite.
  • Document everything—even minor bugs can compound into critical chains.

By thinking differently and testing relentlessly, you’ll uncover vulnerabilities others miss. Happy hacking!

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Faiyaz Ahmad – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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