I Earned $500 in 2 Minutes by Finding a Sensitive File!

Ever had one of those moments when a burst of curiosity completely transforms your day? One minute, you’re casually exploring, and the next — you’ve uncovered a hidden sensitive file that not only validates your skills but also earns you a tidy $500 reward! Today, I’m sharing my personal ethical hacking journey, filled with real-life examples, practical steps, and heartfelt lessons. Remember, always practice ethical hacking in environments where you have explicit permission.

It was a seemingly ordinary afternoon when I decided to test my skills on a controlled, authorized environment. I had set up a lab that mimicked a real-world production system, complete with intentionally vulnerable files to simulate genuine scenarios. The excitement was palpable — this wasn’t just a test; it was an opportunity to push my boundaries.

While exploring a test server provided by a partner company, I ran a series of carefully crafted Google dork queries. One query led me to a misconfigured file: an exposed .env file containing sensitive configuration…