How Did a Simple Path Traversal to RCE Bug Land Me $40K?

Unlocking the treasure — navigating the complex maze of cybersecurity and coding.

I’m a security researcher, and one day, a routine check for bugs led me to a big discovery — a simple issue turned into a major Remote Code Execution (RCE) find.

“Sometimes the biggest security vulnerabilities hide in the most unexpected places.”

Most people think RCE engineering is all about tricky hacks, but for me, it started with a simple mistake — a file path that wasn’t supposed to be open.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The Initial Discovery

Like many security researchers, I began by studying the application’s structure. What stood out wasn’t a big, obvious vulnerability but a small issue with how paths were managed.

The target was a big RCE company (name hidden for safety) that managed sensitive financial data, like in RCE mortgage systems.

The Breakthrough Moment

After investigating for days, I found something interesting: how the app handles paths in the education portal has a serious flaw.

“Security is not about finding complex vulnerabilities — it’s about understanding simple systems deeply.”

The Technical Journey

The process felt like a game, with each step opening up new possibilities.

Initial path traversal discoveryPrivilege escalation identificationSystem command injection vectorPayload developmentFull system compromise

Understanding the Impact

The vulnerability’s scope exceeded the typical RCE in insurance systems I’d encountered before. It could potentially affect:

User data securitySystem integrityFinancial transactionsAdministrative controls

The Responsible Disclosure

The process of reporting this vulnerability taught me valuable lessons about:

Clear documentationProof of concept developmentImpact assessmentProfessional communication

“The biggest rewards in security research come from responsible disclosure and clear communication.”

The Resolution

Working with the security team, we:

Identified the root causeDeveloped mitigation strategiesImplemented security patchesVerified the fixed effectiveness

Lessons Learned

This experience taught me that:

Simple vulnerabilities can have a critical impactThorough documentation is crucialPatient investigation pays offProfessional communication is keyResponsible disclosure matters

Key Takeaways for Researchers

Always start with the basicsDocument everythingThink creativelyStay persistentCommunicate professionally

The Final Reward

The $40,000 bounty wasn’t about the money — it represented recognition of:

Thorough researchProfessional approachResponsible DisclosureReal security impact

“The true reward in security research isn’t just the bounty — it’s the impact you make on digital security.”

Looking Forward

This experience has taught me that the best security discoveries often come from:

Patient investigationCreative thinkingProfessional ConductClear communication