How I Earned $650 Using Just Recon: A Bug Hunter’s Success Story

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Akash Ghosh

Every hacker dreams of the perfect find — a critical vulnerability hiding in plain sight, waiting to be discovered. For me, that moment came during a routine recon session, when I uncovered a severe Sensitive Information Leakage on one of the biggest e-commerce platforms. With nothing more than meticulous recon techniques, I revealed sensitive customer transaction data, exposed access keys, and even credit card-related information stored openly in a GitHub repository. That find earned me $650 — and a spot in their hall of fame.

But let’s make one thing clear: this wasn’t luck, and it wasn’t a fluke. As any seasoned hacker will tell you, recon is where the magic happens. It’s where data you weren’t supposed to see gets unearthed. It’s where bugs most people miss rise to the surface. And it’s where the difference between an average report and a high-impact vulnerability lies.

This is the story of how I used the art of recon to turn scattered digital breadcrumbs into a critical report and a rewarding bounty. Whether you’re a seasoned bug bounty hunter or just getting started, this write-up will show you why recon is the ultimate weapon in a hacker’s arsenal — and how you can master it to uncover your own success stories.

Why Recon is the Key to Bug Hunting Success

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