What is Bug Bounty Hunting 🕵️♂️🤑
A Beginner’s Guide to Hacking Legally, Ethically, and for Real Money 💵
But there’s another side to hacking — one that’s legal, ethical, and even encouraged by some of the biggest tech companies in the world. It’s called bug bounty hunting.
If you’re curious about how people are getting paid to find security flaws in real websites and apps, this post is for you. And it’s just the beginning — starting today, I’ll be publishing one in-depth blog post every day to help you understand and master the world of bug bounties.
So, what is bug bounty hunting? 💡
Bug bounty hunting is when you find a security issue in a company’s application and report it to them — and they pay you for it.
Yes, really.
For example, imagine you’re using a fintech app and you discover that, with a small trick, you can access someone else’s account. That’s a serious vulnerability. If the company runs a bug bounty program, they’ll want you to tell them about it — and they’ll probably reward you financially for helping them fix it.
It’s basically the internet’s version of “see something, say something”… but with hacking skills and a nice paycheck.
Who offers bug bounties? 🏢
There are two types of companies that offer bounties:
— Those that run programs on platforms like:
— Those that manage their own programs (called self-hosted), like:
- Samsung, Apple, Zomato, Razorpay, etc.
Some are public (anyone can join), while others are private (invite-only). Either way, if you’re good at spotting flaws in web apps, there’s money to be made.
Why would a company pay hackers? 🤔
It might seem weird at first — why would a business invite people to hack them?
Here’s the logic:
- It’s cheaper to pay a hacker than recover from a breach.
- Hackers can find things that scanners and tools miss.
- A responsible disclosure program builds user trust.
Bug bounty programs are basically security audits, powered by people like you and me. They help companies catch problems before the bad guys do.
What kinds of bugs do bounty hunters look for? 🔎
This varies depending on the program, but common targets include:
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- SQL Injection
- Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR)
- Privilege escalation
- Broken authentication
- Leaked sensitive information
- Misconfigured servers or APIs
- and many more...
You’ll also hear a lot about something called the OWASP Top 10 — it’s a list of the most common web app vulnerabilities, and it’s pretty much required reading if you want to take this seriously. (We’ll cover this in detail in a later post.)
How do you get started? 🧑💻
If you’re new to this space, here’s a rough idea of what your first steps might look like:
— Learn how the web works.
- HTML, JavaScript, HTTP requests, cookies — the basics.
— Understand common vulnerabilities.
- OWASP Top 10 is a good starting point.
— Practice. A lot.
- Use platforms like PortSwigger Labs, TryHackMe, or HackTheBox.
— Register on a bug bounty platform.
- Pick one, create a profile, read through their public programs, and start poking around.
— Start with low-hanging fruit.
- Even simple bugs can be valuable, and they help build confidence.
Can you actually make money from this? 💸
Short answer: Yes.
• Beginners can earn $50 to $500 for smaller bugs.
• Experienced hunters can earn thousands per month.
• Some reports go up to $10,000+ for critical issues.
But more importantly, you gain real-world security skills. Even if you don’t care much about the money, this path can lead to jobs in pentesting, red teaming, or freelance security consulting.
What this blog series is all about 📚
There are tons of bug bounty resources out there — but most of them are either too advanced, too shallow, or scattered all over the internet.
This blog aims to be different.
I’ll be sharing real techniques, actual tools, command-line examples, writeups, automation strategies, and everything I wish I had when I started. One post. Every single day.
We’ll cover topics like:
- Automated & Manual Recon
- Vulnerability Types & Real Examples
- Tools of the Trade (Burp, ffuf, nuclei, etc.)
- Writing Better Reports (and Getting Bigger Payouts)
- Finding Bugs Other People Miss
- Deep Dive into OWASP Top 10 (2024)
- and much more…
Whether you’re just starting or have already found a few bugs, this series will push you further.
Final thoughts ✍
If you’ve ever thought about getting into hacking — the legal kind — this is your sign. You don’t need a degree, expensive tools, or permission to get started.
You just need curiosity, consistency, and the willingness to learn something new every day.
This was Day 1. Tomorrow, we’re going to talk about something a lot of people overlook:
“The Hacker Mindset” — how to think like a bug bounty hunter.
So follow, bookmark, or drop a comment if you’re in — and I’ll see you in the next one.
Let’s hunt.
