Getting Started with Bug Bounty Hunting: 8 Powerful Secrets

Getting started with bug bounty hunting: The easiest way for anyone interested in coding or security to start is to just begin. Every day, companies lose customers and go out of business from one simple security mistake. This problem will only get bigger over time.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with a comprehensive roadmap for identifying vulnerabilities and submitting bug reports. In addition, you will learn about the tools available, how to report them legally, and what you need to know if you want to be taken seriously by other professionals in the industry. When you complete this course of action, you will possess the knowledge and tools needed to submit your first report and become part of the global elite cyber-security workforce.

What is Bug Bounty Hunting

Big bounty hunting is finding security bugs in company websites and apps. Companies pay hackers money to discover these problems before bad guys do. You test legally and get rewarded for each valid bug you report.

Crowdsourced security is a program where organizations invite researchers to find and report vulnerabilities within their systems when getting started with bug bounty hunting. This results in a mutually beneficial relationship where organizations receive superior security, while researchers earn money based on what they discover.

The primary benefit of this area of expertise is its “Open Door” policy; there are no requirements such as a Computer Science degree or working for a corporation to get started. Many of the prominent hunters in India and elsewhere are self-taught and turned a passion for “how things go wrong” into full-time careers that provide financial support.

You can contribute to a safer internet while developing a validated portfolio filled with impactful work. Each bounty received provides a badge of honor that demonstrates you are technically capable. This means that you can easily find jobs without relying on traditional résumé filters, as you will have tangible proof of your abilities through your bounties.

Bug Bounty Platforms for Beginners

Choosing your bug bounty hunting platform is an important first step to achieving success as a beginner when getting started with bug bounty hunting. Below are 10 platforms, ranked from easiest to most complex based on the experience of newcomers, with links provided so you have a place to start.

Beginner-Friendly Platforms

1. Open Bug Bounty – Open Bug Bounty is the only platform built for free vulnerability disclosures. Great platform for practicing basic web vulnerabilities without the stress of competing against others for bounties. www.openbugbounty.org

2. HackerOne – HackerOne has the most extensive list of programs and is seen as the leader in the industry. Many of the companies include beginner-friendly Vulnerability Disclosure Programs (VDP) designed for beginners e.g. Google’s VDP. www.hackerone.com

3. Bugcrowd – Bugcrowd provides “point-only” programs allowing beginners to easily receive points by completing programs. Through Bugcrowd, new researchers can connect to the community of other researchers to exchange ideas and support each other. www.bugcrowd.com

4. Intigriti – Intigriti is a European-based platform with an excellent community to provide support and many great resources to help new researchers build their skills. www.intigriti.com

5. YesWeHack – YesWeHack has programs tailored for the Indian Community. It has many IoT and Mobile programs that may be a good fit for your research niche. www.yeswehack.com

Intermediate Platforms

6. HackenProof – HackenProof is focused on Web 3.0. Resources for beginners are provided to introduce researchers to finding vulnerabilities in blockchain technologies. hackenproof.com

7. Huntr – Huntr focuses on connecting AI and ML to modern technology and welcomes new researchers into the space. huntr.com

Advanced Career Choices for Cyber Security Professionals’ Future

#Immunefi– Crypto/Web3-based bounties for Cyber Security experts to earn major cash.
– Where to find: immunefi.com/bug-bounty

#Cobalt– Comprehensive PTaaS with QA, developer, & researcher utilities.

– Where to find: www.cobalt.io/

#Synack– The top choice for seasoned Pentesters looking for steady income off of verified programs.
– Where to find: www.synack.com/

By starting with the top 5 platforms, you will have the highest probability of landing your first legitimate bounty when getting started with bug bounty hunting as well as building a reputation for private invitations ($$$).

Essential Tools for Bug Bounty Hunting

In the Bug Bounty World, Burp Suite is synonymous with Swiss Army Knife for newbies when getting started with bug bounty hunting.

For Bug Bounty Hunters, Burp Suite’s Community Edition is free, and includes a really useful intercepting proxy, which enables the Bug Hunter to view, pause, and amend all the information between the Browser and Server, where all the web-based Bugs are located.

Essential Tools for Bug Bounty Hunting

• Subfinder – A rapid Subdomain Enumeration tool that will assist you with the initial reconnaissance for Bug Bounty Hunter.
• Amass – An OWASP Tool that will help with an easy and thorough Attack Surface Mapping and Subdomain Discovery.
• Nuclei – A Fast Vulnerability Scanner, which uses Custom Templates to search for Bugs Automatically.
• Nmap – A specialised Network Mapper Tool for scanning and identifying Network Services.
• OWASP ZAP – An Open Source Web Application Security Scanner, as a substitute for Burp Suite.
• SQLmap – An Automated SQL Injection Exploiting Tool.
• FFUF – A rapid Web Fuzzer for discovering Directories and Parameters via Brute Forcing.
• Hakrawler – A Web Crawler that Discover Endpoints during the Reconnaissance Process.
• XSStrike – An Advanced XSS Scanner for Cross Site Scripting Vulnerabilities.
• Assetfinder – A reconnaissance tool used for discovering additional Domains associated with your interest Domain.

When getting started with bug bounty hunting, you’ll want to use reconnaissance tools, such as Subfinder and Amass, to help you map a company’s digital footprint. The easiest way to find a “forgotten” subdomain, or an outdated one that has not been updated in years, is by using these tools.

By using automation tools like Nuclei, you can quickly search through hundreds of different targets for known vulnerabilities in just seconds. Automation tools can also be customized to help you find specific bugs that you have identified through your recons, making it much faster than trying to find the same vulnerabilities through manual testing.

Common Vulnerabilities to Hunt

If you are a novice bug bounty hunter when getting started with bug bounty hunting, you’ll want to learn about the OWASP Top 10, which has numerous types of vulnerabilities inside it. Start with IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) as an example. It’s where a user can access another user’s private data just by using a differing ID in the URL, i.e. a very basic bug that can get you, in some instances, a payout of a few thousand dollars.

The next example is Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). This is another classic vulnerability in the world of bug bounty hunting. By injecting a malicious script into a search box or comments field shows how an attacker could theoretically capture user cookies. It’s easy to prove because XSS is a very common vulnerability found in present-day, dynamic web applications.

Information Disclosure is considered the easiest type of bug to find when starting as a bug bounty hunter. They usually consist of sensitive files like .env or .git folders that have been left open to the public accidentally. Finding information disclosures doesn’t take high-level hacking knowledge, just a good eye and a little reconnaissance of the directory structure on the server.

Common Vulnerabilities that are fairly simple to Identify and Remediate

• Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR): Changing ID parameters in a URL allows access to another user’s data.
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Inputting a script through an input field can allow the attack to steal cookies/sessions.
• Information Disclosure: Exposed files that contain sensitive configuration information, such as .env or .git, or backup files.
• Broken Access Control: Admin users can access the Admin Panel without proper authentication and authorization.
• Missing Rate Limiting: No rate-limiting is implemented, which means there are no limits on the number of times a user can attempt to log in, allowing for brute-force attacks.
• SQL Injection (basic): A simple payload of ‘ OR 1=1– in a login form is an example of basic SQL injection.
• Open Redirects: Attackers can manipulate the parameters of a redirect to lead users to a phishing site.
• CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery): Users must supply an anti-CSRF token to complete an action, which can protect them from CSRF attacks.
• Exposed Admin Panels: Even though there is a login page for the admin panel, there are also publicly accessible URLs such as /admin and /wp-admin.
• Subdomain Takeover: An attacker can hijack an abandoned DNS record that points to services that are vulnerable to takeover.

Overall, the above ten vulnerabilities represent the most common and easiest to find vulnerabilities associated with bug bounty hunting that provide a good return on investment and also offer an opportunity to build a positive reputation in the security community.

Bug Bounty Hunting Methodology

Professionals use a structured approach to be successful when getting started with bug bounty hunting. The first stage, Passive Reconnaissance (Passive Recon), is all about collecting information on the target agent without prior interaction with the agent’s servers. Popular tools for this stage include Shodan and Google dorking; these two methods allow researchers and professionals to forensically locate username/password combinations or unsecured confidential documents relating to their targets.

The second stage of reconnaissance is referred to as Active Reconnaissance (Active Recon) when getting started with bug bounty hunting. Here, analysts will develop a detailed mapping of the application’s features and functions, one way to do this is to click all of the buttons and change the properties of the various features. This will provide insight into how the application should behave or the application’s “business logic”, and enables the researcher to discover areas of the application where the business logic can be exploited.

The final stage is called Vulnerability Analysis (Vuln-Analysis) and this stage is where researchers take their most interesting endpoints and perform fuzz testing against those endpoints using unexpected inputs when getting started with bug bounty hunting. For example, if an input field is expecting a first name, enter a piece of code in that input field; or if the input field was expecting a small number enter a large number. The more you do this consistently the more likely you will to receive bounties consistently.

Writing Bug Bounty Reports

The report produced by you is the item that is paid to you ONLY IF they were able to replicate the bug within their own system when getting started with bug bounty hunting. A well written report has a descriptive title with a visible ‘Proof of Concept’ (PoC) listing all steps needed to reproduce the issue that you have found.

The ‘Impact’ section is a MUST within any bug report when getting started with bug bounty hunting! Not only should you inform them there is a bug, but you must also tell them why it is important to them as a business. For example: an XSS could be used to take over an admin’s account. If this were successful, all company information could be lost; or worse yet, unauthorized financial transactions could occur!

It is very important that you maintain a professional, cooperative tone throughout your communications when getting started with bug bounty hunting. You are acting as a security partner and not an adversary. Also, adding a suggestion for a ‘Remediation’ (fixing the bug) will add tremendous value to your report; this will often result in ‘bonus’ payments or increased reputation scores from the security teams.

Legal Aspects of Bug Bounty Hunting

If you do not have the explicit permission of a company to hack them, then never hack them when getting started with bug bounty hunting. Always check for a “Safe Harbor” statement located on the program’s policy page. This is a legal promise made by the company stating that if you follow their rules, they will not take any legal action against you.

Always test only what is defined as being “In-Scope” for that particular program when getting started with bug bounty hunting. If they say, for example, that you can only test *https://www.google.com/search?q=.example.com, than do not test their mobile application or their payment gateway unless it is specifically stated you may; to go outside of the defined scope of that program is the quickest route to being banned from that platform or facing legal action.

Have a full understanding of what “Responsible Disclosure” is, as it applies to how one should act once the vulnerability has been discovered when getting started with bug bounty hunting. In short you should never disclose the details of your discovery with the public until the company has completed the necessary repairs and you have received their consent to do so. Violating this will destroy your reputation and can lead to an automatic disqualification from any further bounty programs you may participate in.

First Bug Bounty Success Stories

Pioneering elite hackers received $50 for hacking an easy bug when getting started with bug bounty hunting. One notable Indian scientist found a fundamental flaw in Facebook’s authentication mechanism. By observing that the Login and Password Reset Page did not implement any Rate Limiting, he discovered the attack vector and was awarded a life-changing amount of $15,000.

Another case of everyday success comes from the concept of subdomain takeover when getting started with bug bounty hunting. A novice hacker discovered DNS records pointing to a nonexistent Amazon S3 bucket. By creating an Amazon S3 bucket with the same name as the deleted bucket, they were able to take control of the subdomain and secure a $2,500 reward for work that took them less than 10 minutes.

The above examples illustrate that being a genius is unnecessary for achieving success when getting started with bug bounty hunting; instead, having a strong degree of diligence and curiosity will help you reach that goal. Most bugs are not discovered via intricate 0-day vulnerabilities, but rather by conducting an extensive amount of testing on the basic principals of applications that developers mistakenly believed to be secure.

Bug Bounty Hunting Career Path

Hunting bugs is the best way to learn about a career as a Cybersecurity Professional when getting started with bug bounty hunting. The experience you gain will help you on your journey to become a Penetration Tester, Security Consultant or Application Security Engineer – all of which have the highest current global demand.

Once you start building up your reputation when getting started with bug bounty hunting, you’ll be invited to “Private Programs” which are finance-heavy, invite-only programs with very little competition. The most successful bug bounty hunters are able to make six figures simply by participating in these types of programs and can do so from anywhere in the world.

In India, many new tech startups are emerging daily, and therefore creating an enormous local market when getting started with bug bounty hunting. Companies such as Paytm and Zomato operate active Bug Bounty Programs and can assist you in obtaining recognition as a leading member of your local security community while providing you an opportunity to earn income in global currencies.

Advanced Bug Bounty Techniques

After incorporating and researching the basic concepts of vulnerability chaining when getting started with bug bounty hunting, take note that they will become much easier to see. This type of vulnerability chaining is where multiple lower-severity vulnerabilities can be exploited together to create a higher-severity vulnerability. For instance, you may exploit a small information leak to determine an internal ID, which will allow you to place an “IDOR” attack on a much larger scale.

At the highest level is Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) when getting started with bug bounty hunting, where you can use a server to make requests on behalf of an attacker to an internal system. This can expose services (called “metadata services”) that provide the attacker with credentials (token or secret) that will allow full access/control of the infrastructure via a cloud service provider (CSP) (e.g., Amazon Web Services (AWS)).

Race conditions are another area of advanced security testing when getting started with bug bounty hunting. A common practice to take advantage of this is by sending multiple requests to the same web application or web service at the exact same time (by using the cooldown on multiple use items, as an example). A business logic example of race conditions is using a one-time coupon code more than once before the database is able to record the substring “used”.

What Are the Benefits of Getting Started with Bug Bounty Hunting? Your Questions Answered

1. How much can I earn when getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Beginners often earn $50–$500 per bug, while critical flaws can pay $10,000+. Your income depends on your skill and the severity of the bugs you find.

2. Do I need to be a pro coder for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

No, but knowing the basics of HTML, JavaScript, and Python helps. You can learn these as you practice finding vulnerabilities on live targets.

3. Is it legal for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Yes, as long as you use official platforms and follow the “Safe Harbor” rules listed in each company’s program policy.

4. Which platform is best for getting started with bug bounty hunting in India?

HackerOne and Bugcrowd are best globally, while local hunters often find success on Intigriti and YesWeHack for more focused programs.

5. Can I do getting started with bug bounty hunting on my phone?

While possible for basic recon, a laptop or PC is essential for using tools like Burp Suite and running automated scripts effectively.

6. How long does it take for getting started with bug bounty hunting success?

Most dedicated beginners find their first valid bug within 1–3 months of consistent practice and learning from public bug reports.

7. What are the top skills for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Patience, thoroughness, and the ability to write clear technical reports are just as important as your actual hacking skills.

8. Is there an age limit for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

No. Some of the world’s best hunters are teenagers. Most platforms only require you to be 13+ with parental consent for payouts.

9. How do I avoid duplicate reports when getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Focus on new features or less popular subdomains. Popular pages are often “picked clean” by hundreds of other hunters already.

10. Should I pay for courses for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Start with free resources like Hacker101 or PortSwigger Academy. Only pay for advanced courses once you understand the basic methodology.

11. What is Burp Suite for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

It is an intercepting proxy tool that lets you capture and modify the data sent between your browser and the target server.

12. Can I get a job from getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Absolutely. Many companies hire top bug hunters directly because they have proven their skills in real-world scenarios rather than just theory.

13. What is “Scope” in getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Scope defines exactly which assets (websites, IPs, apps) you are allowed to hack. Hacking outside of this is illegal and dangerous.

14. Do I need a powerful PC for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

No. A mid-range laptop is enough. Most of the heavy lifting is done by the target’s servers or by lightweight command-line tools.

15. How are bounties paid in getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Most platforms pay via PayPal, Wire Transfer, or even Crypto. You’ll need to complete a tax form (like W-8BEN) for international payments.

16. What is a VDP in getting started with bug bounty hunting?

A Vulnerability Disclosure Program is a program that offers “Kudos” or reputation points instead of money—perfect for beginner practice.

17. Can I hack any website for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

No. Only hack websites that have an active program on a platform or a “Security” page inviting researchers to test them.

18. What is the OWASP Top 10 for getting started with bug bounty hunting?

It is a list of the 10 most critical web security risks. Mastering this list is the foundation of becoming a successful hunter.

19. Why do my reports get rejected in getting started with bug bounty hunting?

Common reasons include the bug being “Informational” (no risk), out of scope, or a “Duplicate” of something already reported.

20. Is bug bounty hunting a stable career?

It can be “lumpy” income. Most people start part-time and only go full-time once their monthly earnings consistently exceed their salary.

Mastering the art of getting started with bug bounty hunting is a transformative journey that combines technical curiosity with professional ethics. By following this roadmap—choosing the right platforms, mastering Burp Suite, and writing high-impact reports—you are building a future-proof career in the world’s most critical industry. The digital world is full of flaws waiting to be found; start hunting today and turn your skills into a powerful force for good and a massive source of income.

Learn more: CodingJourney.co.in | CodingJourney Sulekha