The Only Methodology you need to Know to earn $$$$ in Bug Bounty in your First Day

Imagine waking up tomorrow, sipping your morning coffee, and effortlessly discovering vulnerabilities worth thousands of dollars in bug bounty rewards. Your automation surprisingly found 5 Crits on Target Subdomain. Sounds exiting right ?

Nah, I’m kidding. There no such thing that you’ll earn $$$$ on your very first day in bug bounty hunting. While the prospect is enticing, the reality is that successful bug bounty hunting requires time, patience, and a lot of learning. The automation tools you use are just one piece of the puzzle. In this blog, we’ll explore the realistic steps and methodologies you can follow to start your bug bounty journey. We’ll set realistic expectations and equip you with the tools to gradually build your skills and earnings, ensuring that your journey in bug bounty hunting is both rewarding and sustainable.

I’ve seen on Twitter that many newbies are constantly asking for one-liners or payloads, such as an XSS payload. The truth is, you won’t find your XSS if you’re simply spraying your “Highly Obfuscated Mutated Gremlin Giga Chad XSS payload” into a React app. It’s just wrong. You need to understand the context, the application’s architecture, and then consider what vulnerabilities could possibly occur in this app. I’m not saying fuzzing is wrong, but many newcomers do it in the wrong way.

If you are a newcomer, please remember this. If you are an experienced bug hunter, surely you can relate.

First, if you are not familiar with security (web, mobile, smart contract, etc.), you will need time to learn the required skillset to jump into bug bounty. In bug bounty hunting, we are racing against each other — pro or not, newcomer or veteran, we are all fighting in the same arena. You either need to have the speed to find the bug, or the skill that surpass other hunter. And in order to achieve that situation you need some time.

Second, if you are already familiar with security but have never done penetration testing before, it’s somewhat easier for you. You only need to learn from the right resources and stay consistent. Going from 0 to 1 bug was the hardest part of my journey personally. Once you get the momentum, finding the next bug becomes easier. Just don’t fall into the deception of the “easy path” often posted on Twitter, like “one-liner XSS” techniques. These methods won’t work reliably. The probability is very low because thousands of people are trying the same thing. I would not recommend spending much time researching these “easy techniques” as the odds are not in your favor. The more complex the steps required to find a bug, the more likely you are to discover one. To help you understand this better, I’ll provide a visualization of different bug segments and the level of competition you can expect for each. This will illustrate how targeting more complex bugs can increase your chances of success.

As the picture above illustrates, the more complex the bug, the less likely you are to encounter duplicates. However, this also means that the time required to find such bugs is significantly longer. So, if you are just starting out, expect to spend months of grinding before you find your first bug.

Third, get rid of the money-oriented mentality. You will need a lot of consistency and the ability to manage highs and lows to stay on this path. There is no easy way; you will encounter many duplicates and N/As in your first steps, and that’s okay. Over time, you will begin to see patterns and understand which bugs are easier to find and which are harder but less likely to be duplicates. All experienced bug hunters have faced this situation; it’s part of the journey. I’m not being hypocritical — it really is.

Learn the Basics: You need to familiarize yourself with all the possible vulnerabilities that can occur in an application. Here are some resources you can use:PortSwigger Lab: Learn about different types of vulnerabilities.HackerOne Public Reports: Understand which types of vulnerabilitie are commonly accepted and rewarded.Twitter: Keep up with the current trends in bug bounty huntingDiscord (NahamSec, BBRE, Critical Thinking BB Podcast): Engage with the community to ask questions and learn from others’ experiences.Divide Your Time Between Learning and Hunting: My recommendation is to spend 70% of your time hunting and 30% learning new things. You don’t want to spend all your time hunting because you’ll lack new knowledge and likely burn out faster. Conversely, if you spend too much time learning, you’ll be great at acquiring knowledge but may struggle to implement it in real scenarios.Learn New Things Every Day: Make it a habit to learn something new each day. Whether it’s reading a blog post, watching a tutorial, or experimenting with a new tool, continuous learning keeps your skills sharp and up-to-date.Manage Your Motivation: Staying motivated is crucial. Set realistic goals and celebrate small victories to keep your spirits high. Joining communities and sharing your progress with others can also provide encouragement and support.Be Consistent: Consistency is key in bug bounty hunting. Regular practice and persistent effort are necessary to improve your skills and increase your chances of finding bugs. Make a schedule and stick to it, even if it’s just a few hours each day.Dive Deep into One Program Before Moving to Another: Focus on one bug bounty program at a time. Learn everything you can about that specific application or platform. This deep dive approach helps you understand the nuances and increases your chances of finding unique vulnerabilities. Once you’ve thoroughly explored one program, you can move on to another with a stronger foundation.

Sike ! There is no secret sauce. All you need to do is follow all the steps above and repeat them consistently. You will face setbacks and feel devastated at times, yes. But all your hard work and perseverance will pay off once you get that first successful bug bounty reward. The sense of accomplishment and the validation of your skills will make all the effort worthwhile, paving the way for more successes in the future. Keep pushing forward, stay curious, and never stop learning.