Hunting for Business Logic Flaws A Bug Bounty Hunter’s Checklist

Bug bounty programs have become a cornerstone in cybersecurity, allowing ethical hackers and security researchers to assist organizations in identifying and remedying vulnerabilities. While technical vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting are commonly hunted, business logic flaws pose a unique and often overlooked challenge. This article serves as a comprehensive checklist for bug bounty hunters seeking to uncover business logic flaws and enhance the overall security of web applications.

Understanding Business Logic Flaws

Business logic flaws occur when there is a discrepancy between the intended functionality of a web application and the actual implementation of its business rules. Unlike traditional vulnerabilities that involve code-level issues, business logic flaws stem from the misconfiguration or misunderstanding of how the application should handle specific scenarios. Uncovering these flaws requires a deep understanding of the application’s intended workflow and the ability to think like an attacker.

Bug Bounty Hunter’s Checklist for Business Logic Flaws

User Authentication and AuthorizationTest for authentication bypass by manipulating session tokens or exploiting weak password reset mechanisms.Verify proper authorization checks to ensure users can only access functionalities and data they are allowed to.

2. Transactional Operations

Examine critical transactions, such as payment processes or account modifications, for inconsistencies or flaws.Test for the lack of proper validation in multi-step processes that could lead to unauthorized actions.

3. Session Management

Look for session-related vulnerabilities, such as session fixation or session riding, which can lead to unauthorized access.Check for session timeout issues that may allow an attacker to hijack an active session.

4. Input Validation and Output Encoding

Analyze how the application handles user input and ensure proper validation is in place to prevent injection attacks.