Essential bug‑bounty guide: learn to find, report, and monetize vulnerabilities using ethical methods and common tools - perfect for beginners and intermediate hunters.
Quick Intro 🚀
This bug bounty guide teaches the fundamentals of hunting security bugs: how to identify vulnerabilities, report them responsibly, and (when eligible) get paid. It’s written for newcomers and intermediate hackers who want a practical, ethical path into vulnerability research.What you’ll learn 🔑
- How the bug bounty process works - from discovery to disclosure.
- Steps to identify common vulnerabilities (XSS, SQLi, auth issues, etc.).
- How to write clear, actionable reports that increase your chance of a bounty.
- Tools and techniques used by ethical hackers: scanners, proxies, fuzzers, and manual testing.
- Best practices for triage, proof-of-concept (PoC) creation, and responsible disclosure.
Tools & Techniques 🛠️
- Recon: passive + active information gathering (subdomain enumeration, OSINT).
- Scanning: automated scanners to find low-hanging fruit - then verify manually.
- Interception: use proxies to inspect and tamper with requests.
- Exploitation basics: craft PoCs that show impact without causing harm.
- Reporting: include steps to reproduce, impact assessment, and remediation hints.
Quick Workflow Checklist ✅
- Read the program’s rules and scope.
- Do recon and enumerate assets.
- Run targeted scans and verify findings manually.
- Build a minimal, safe PoC.
- Submit a clear report with reproduction steps and impact.
- Follow up politely if needed.