What Comes After Recon: My Journey with Public Bug Bounty Program Hunting
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
As a bug bounty hunter, the thrill of the hunt often begins with the reconnaissance phase. It’s the moment when you dive deep into the target, searching for anything that might give you an edge. But what happens after recon? How do you transform that gathered intelligence into actionable exploits? In this article, I’ll walk you through my methodology for bug bounty hunting on public programs, sharing some insights and experiences along the way.
Invitation Links and Logic Flaws
During one of my hunts, I noticed something intriguing — an invitation link that didn’t expire. This discovery led me to delve into web archives like Wayback and VirusTotal, hoping to unearth old, leaked URLs. I found a few, even though they were tied to non-member users. Despite this, I reported the issue, noting the lack of email confirmation or two-factor authentication. Unfortunately, the issue was out of scope, resulting in an “informative” classification.
Update: Just because something is out of scope doesn’t mean it isn’t important. But in this case, the scope limitation meant my report was marked as informative.
Another Scenario: Blank Page Stalemate
In another scenario, I explored what would happen if a user attempted to sign up or log in after receiving an invitation. Instead of being able to proceed normally, they were forced to use the invitation link to create an account. However, if I deleted the user from the organization before they clicked the link, they would be forwarded to a blank page, rendering them unable to access any core features. Even if they tried to sign up again with the same email, they were met with a message directing them to log in with the invitation link — leading them back to the frustrating blank page.
The Reality of Public Bug Bounty Programs
While public bug bounty programs offer an exciting arena for honing your skills, they also come with challenges. You might encounter duplicates or deal with teams that undervalue your findings to minimize payouts. But don’t be discouraged — there are also feature-rich programs out there that are both rewarding and challenging, providing excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth.
If you enjoyed this summary and want to dive deeper into my bug bounty methodology, you can read the full write-up on my GitBook: From Recon to Reward: My Bug Bounty Methodology when Hunting on Public Bug Bounty Programs.
