Reality about Bug Bounties — the mindset transition.

Brain and Technology

When I came across bug bounties, the first thing that came to my mind was the bounty or reward involved in the program. It seemed like the primary motivation for most participants, and I was no different. However, as I delved deeper into the world of bug bounties, I began to understand that there was much more to it than just monetary compensation. It was a learning opportunity that allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and skills.

Unfortunately, many people miss out on the core learning part of bug bounties by focusing solely on the reward. They fail to realize that the real value of participating in bug bounty programs lies in the knowledge and experience gained.

As I continued to participate in bug bounty programs, I realized that having the right mindset was crucial. While the bounty or reward was a significant part of the program, it was only secondary compensation for the work I put in. I learned not to make it my primary motivation when focusing on bug bounties. Instead, I focused on learning and improving my skills.

Let’s talk about the mindset transition:

Understanding the true nature of a security impact is crucial in the field of bug bounties. During my early days, I struggled with differentiating between bugs and their severity levels. It was difficult to determine whether they had any security implications. However, once I learned how to identify them, I was able to avoid submitting irrelevant reports that were deemed not applicable. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t see a feasible way to exploit a vulnerability or if it doesn’t pose a significant security risk, it’s best to move on. This mindset transition can increase your chances of success in the bug bounty program by up to 95%.When submitting a bug bounty report, keep in mind that the person evaluating your report may come from various backgrounds, including critics, developers, security engineers, company stakeholders, or anyone else. Therefore, it’s crucial to craft your report in a clear and concise manner that effectively conveys the potential impact of the vulnerability to anyone who reads it. By doing so, you can ensure that your report is taken seriously and addressed promptly.In some cases, certain companies may take an excessive amount of time to respond to your reported vulnerabilities, or they may not respond at all. Meanwhile, your discovered vulnerability may have already been resolved without any acknowledgment. While this can be frustrating, it’s important to remember that it’s a possibility when participating in bug bounty programs. If you encounter such situations, it might be best to move on and focus on other programs.

When participating in bug bounty programs, there are several things you can do to make the experience smoother and more rewarding:

Take breaks whenever necessary. The field of bug hunting is highly complex and interesting, but it can also lead to burnout if you don’t pace yourself.Develop your own report writing style and create a format that works for you. Consider structuring your report like a conversation, anticipating possible questions, and providing answers for everything in the report. This can save time and reduce the need for back-and-forth communication with the company.Be smart with your bounty earnings. While it’s tempting to splurge on luxury items, it’s important to invest in things that are necessary for your continued success in bug hunting. Avoid overspending at the outset, as this can have a negative impact on your journey.

“Every time you fail, you will learn something new. Fail as much as possible, so that from your next attempt there’s no way it’s going wrong!”

I hope you enjoyed reading this. Take care and goodbye!