The Art of Bug Bounty Hunting: Techniques and Best Practices

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Introduction

Bug bounty programs have become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity, enabling organizations to crowdsource vulnerability discovery while rewarding ethical hackers. This article explores essential techniques, tools, and methodologies for successful bug bounty hunting, drawing insights from industry experts like Miguel Segovia Gil, a Security Researcher at EY GDS.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the bug bounty workflow, from reconnaissance to reporting.
  • Master key commands and tools for vulnerability discovery.
  • Learn how to leverage platforms like YesWeHack for efficient triage and rewards.

1. Reconnaissance with Subdomain Enumeration

Command:

subfinder -d example.com -o subdomains.txt

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Install SubFinder:
    go install github.com/projectdiscovery/subfinder/v2/cmd/subfinder@latest
  2. Run the command to enumerate subdomains of example.com.

3. Save results to `subdomains.txt` for further analysis.

Why it matters: Subdomains often host vulnerable services or misconfigurations.

2. Automated Scanning with Nuclei

Command:

nuclei -l subdomains.txt -t cves/ -o vulnerabilities.txt

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Install Nuclei:
    go install github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v2/cmd/nuclei@latest
  2. Use the `-t cves/` flag to scan for known CVEs across subdomains.

3. Output findings to `vulnerabilities.txt`.

Pro Tip: Combine with `httpx` to filter live hosts first.

3. Exploiting XSS Vulnerabilities

Code Snippet (Proof-of-Concept):

<script>alert(document.domain)</script>

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Test input fields (e.g., search bars, forms) by injecting the script.
  2. If the alert pops up, the site is vulnerable to reflected XSS.
  3. Document the payload and affected endpoint for reporting.
    Mitigation: Developers should sanitize inputs using frameworks like DOMPurify.

4. API Security Testing with Postman

Request Example:

GET /api/user?id=1 HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Authorization: Bearer <token>

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Use Postman to send requests to API endpoints.
  2. Manipulate parameters (e.g., id=1' OR 1=1--) to test for SQLi.
  3. Check for excessive data exposure or missing rate limits.
    Critical Note: Always test with permission to avoid legal issues.

5. Cloud Misconfiguration Checks

AWS CLI Command:

aws s3 ls s3://bucket-name --no-sign-request

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Run the command to check for publicly accessible S3 buckets.
  2. If data is listed, the bucket may be misconfigured.
  3. Report findings to the organization via their bug bounty program.

Example Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive data.

6. Privilege Escalation in Linux

Command:

sudo -l

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Run `sudo -l` to list allowed commands for the current user.
  2. Look for binaries like vim, python, or `find` that can spawn shells.

3. Exploit with:

sudo vim -c ':!/bin/sh'

Mitigation: Restrict sudo permissions using `/etc/sudoers`.

7. Windows Lateral Movement

PowerShell Command:

Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"sekurlsa::pth /user:Admin /domain:corp /ntlm:<hash> /run:cmd.exe"'

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Use Mimikatz to perform Pass-the-Hash attacks.

  1. Replace `` with the NTLM hash of the target account.
  2. Execute commands in the context of the compromised user.

Defense: Enable LSA Protection and restrict admin privileges.

What Undercode Say

  • Key Takeaway 1: Bug bounty hunting requires persistence and creativity—tools alone won’t guarantee success.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Platforms like YesWeHack streamline triage, but clear, reproducible reports are crucial for rewards.

Analysis:

The rise of bug bounty programs reflects a shift toward proactive security. As Miguel Segovia Gil’s success demonstrates, combining automated tools with manual testing yields the best results. However, ethical hackers must stay updated on emerging threats (e.g., API abuses, cloud misconfigurations) and adhere to responsible disclosure practices.

Prediction

By 2025, AI-driven bug hunting tools will augment human researchers, but critical vulnerabilities will still require human intuition. Organizations will increasingly adopt bug bounty programs as a cost-effective alternative to traditional penetration testing.

Note: Always comply with program rules and laws. Unauthorized testing is illegal.

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Miguelsegoviagil Bugbounty – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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