Bug bounty programs pay security researchers to find vulnerabilities in their systems before malicious hackers do. Platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd have paid out over a billion dollars in bounties. Many top researchers earn six-figure incomes finding bugs. This guide shows you exactly how to get started — the skills, tools, methodology, and platforms.
What Skills Do You Need?
# Core skills for bug bounty hunting:
1. Web application fundamentals (HTTP, cookies, sessions, authentication)
2. Understanding of OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
3. Proficiency with Burp Suite (the essential tool)
4. Basic scripting (Python or Bash for automation)
5. Reading and understanding code (to find logic flaws)
6. Patience and persistence (most reports get marked as duplicates or N/A)
# Good starting resources:
# - PortSwigger Web Academy (free): portswigger.net/web-security
# - OWASP WebGoat (intentionally vulnerable app): owasp.org/WebGoat
# - Hack The Box (practice machines): hackthebox.com
# - TryHackMe: tryhackme.comSetting Up Your Bug Bounty Toolkit
# Essential tools:
# Burp Suite Community (free) or Pro ($499/year):
# Download: portswigger.net/burp
# Used for: intercepting HTTP traffic, active scanning, manual testing
# Subfinder: subdomain enumeration
go install -v github.com/projectdiscovery/subfinder/v2/cmd/subfinder@latest
subfinder -d target.com -o subdomains.txt
# httpx: probe discovered hosts for alive ones
go install -v github.com/projectdiscovery/httpx/cmd/httpx@latest
cat subdomains.txt | httpx -silent > alive.txt
# Nuclei: automated vulnerability scanning
go install -v github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3/cmd/nuclei@latest
nuclei -l alive.txt -t cves/ -t exposures/
# ffuf: web fuzzing
go install github.com/ffuf/ffuf/v2@latest
ffuf -u https://target.com/FUZZ -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt
# waybackurls: find historical URLs
go install github.com/tomnomnom/waybackurls@latest
waybackurls target.com | grep "?" | sort -u > params.txt
# Install all ProjectDiscovery tools at once:
curl -sL https://github.com/projectdiscovery/pdtm/releases/download/v0.0.1/pdtm_0.0.1_linux_amd64.zip -o pdtm.zip
unzip pdtm.zip && ./pdtm -install-allBug Bounty Methodology
# Structured approach to target recon:
# Phase 1: Reconnaissance
subfinder -d target.com | httpx > alive_subs.txt
# Find open ports:
naabu -l alive_subs.txt -p 80,443,8080,8443,3000 -o open_ports.txt
# Find technologies:
nuclei -l alive_subs.txt -t technologies/ -silent
# Phase 2: Crawl the application
gospider -s https://target.com -o output/ --depth 3
# Or: Burp Suite Spider
# Phase 3: Look for easy wins
# Automated:
nuclei -l alive_subs.txt -t exposures/ -t cves/ -t misconfiguration/
# Manual:
# - Check for open redirects in redirect parameters
# - Test login with common passwords
# - Look for version disclosure in headers/responses
# - Try account takeover via password reset flaws
# - Check for subdomain takeovers
# Phase 4: Business Logic Testing (highest value bugs)
# - Can a non-premium user access premium features?
# - Can you apply a coupon multiple times?
# - Can you bypass email verification?
# - Can you access other users' data? (IDOR)Where to Hunt: Platforms
# HackerOne (hackerone.com):
# Largest bug bounty platform
# Many programs: Google, Microsoft, PayPal, Uber, GitHub
# Average bounty: $500-$5000 for medium vulns
# Bugcrowd (bugcrowd.com):
# Second largest platform
# Strong enterprise focus
# Synack (synack.com):
# Invite-only, higher pay, vetted researchers
# Open Bug Bounty (openbugbounty.org):
# Free, self-disclosure based
# Programs to start with (beginner-friendly):
# - HackerOne: United States Air Force (government, helpful responders)
# - Bugcrowd: Atlassian, Tesla
# - Google VRP: Start with low-hanging fruit in Google products
# Private programs:
# After building reputation, get invited to private programs
# Higher payouts, less competitionWriting a Good Bug Report
# A good report gets triaged and paid faster:
# Template:
Title: [Vulnerability Type] in [Component] allows [Impact]
Example: "IDOR in /api/v1/profile allows reading other users' PII"
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Summary:
The /api/v1/profile endpoint does not verify that the requested user ID
belongs to the authenticated user. An attacker can change the user_id
parameter to access any user's personal information.
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Log in as user A (email: tester-a@example.com)
2. Make request: GET /api/v1/profile?user_id=12345 (user A's ID)
3. Observe normal response with user A's data
4. Change user_id to 12346 (user B's ID)
5. Observe user B's personal information is returned
Impact:
Attacker can access PII (name, email, phone, address) of all users.
With 500,000+ users registered, this is a critical data privacy issue.
Proof of Concept:
[Include HTTP request/response screenshots or curl command]
Recommendation:
Add server-side check: if request.user.id != profile.user_id: return 403Wrap Up
Bug bounty hunting is a legitimate, well-paid career path in cybersecurity. Start with PortSwigger Academy to learn the basics, practice on HackTheBox, then move to real targets starting with beginner-friendly programs. The key to success is methodology — systematic reconnaissance, automated scanning, and then deep manual testing of the attack surface that tools miss.