Module 1: Introduction to Bug Bounty

What is a Bug Bounty?

Overview of Bug Bounty programs.

Popular bug bounty platforms: HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Synack, Open Bug Bounty.

Importance of bug bounty programs in cybersecurity.
Ethical Hacking and Responsible Disclosure

Ethical hacking principles.

Responsible disclosure vs. black hat techniques.

Legal and ethical considerations when participating in bug bounty programs.

Module 2: Fundamentals of Web Security

Overview of Web Application Security

Web application architecture: client-server model, HTTP/HTTPS protocols, web servers, databases.

Web application attack surface: APIs, cookies, sessions, forms, and authentication
mechanisms.
Web Application Vulnerabilities

OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities:

Injection (SQL Injection, OS Command Injection)

Broken Authentication and Session Management

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (Stored, Reflected, DOM-based)

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Insecure Deserialization

Security Misconfiguration Sensitive Data Exposure Insufficient Logging & Monitoring Broken Access Control

Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities

Module 3: Setting Up Your Bug Bounty Lab

Tools for Bug Bounty Hunting

Web Application Proxies: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Fiddler.

Network Sniffing: Wireshark, tcpdump. Reconnaissance Tools: Sublist3r, Amass, Gobuster. Vulnerability Scanners: Nikto, Nmap.

Automated Testing Tools: Acunetix, w3af, and others.

Creating a Test Environment

Setting up virtual machines using VMware/VirtualBox.

Deploying vulnerable web applications for practice (e.g., DVWA, WebGoat, Hack The Box).

Configuring Proxies and VPNs

Using Burp Suite for intercepting traffic. Configuring VPNs for anonymity and secure access.

Module 4: Bug Bounty Hunting Methodology

Reconnaissance and Information Gathering

Passive Reconnaissance: Google dorking, WHOIS lookups, DNS enumeration.

Active Reconnaissance: Scanning for open ports, services, and vulnerabilities (using Nmap, Nikto, etc.).

Identifying subdomains and gathering metadata.
Identifying and Exploiting Vulnerabilities

Injection Attacks: SQL Injection, Command Injection.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Stored, Reflected, DOM-based XSS.

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF). Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF).

Sensitive Data Exposure: Man-in-the-middle attacks, unencrypted traffic. Authentication & Session Management: Weak passwords, broken session

management, JWT token manipulation.

Privilege Escalation: Horizontal and vertical privilege escalation in applications.
Advanced Vulnerabilities

XML External Entity (XXE) attacks.

File Upload Vulnerabilities. OpenRedirects.

Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR). Broken Access Control.

Module 5: Exploiting and Reporting Bugs

Exploitation Techniques

Bypassing input validation. Exploiting authentication flaws.

Exploiting vulnerabilities in APIs (REST, SOAP).

Exploiting improper access controls.
Bug Bounty Reporting Process

Understanding the reporting format.

Writing effective bug reports.

Providing proof of concept (PoC): How to craft useful PoCs for vulnerabilities. Reproducing bugs for the target organization’s developers.

Understanding the importance of details (steps, screenshots, video demos).
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Bug Bounty Reports

Providing insufficient information.

Failing to verify the impact or severity of the vulnerability.

Not considering the business context of the vulnerability.

Module 6: Networking and Understanding Bug Bounty Platforms

Bug Bounty Platforms Overview

Differences between HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Synack, and other platforms.

Exploring bug bounty platforms: Creating profiles, understanding program rules.

Types of programs: Public vs. private programs.

Bug bounty scopes and boundaries: What is in scope and out of scope.

Rules of Engagement

Understanding program terms, conditions, and scope.

What to do when you find a vulnerability within the scope. Dealing with false positives and rejected reports.

Building a Reputation on Bug Bounty Platforms

How to build a profile and reputation. Increasing your rank and credibility.

Engaging with the community, sharing knowledge, and learning from others.

Module 7: Advanced Bug Bounty Techniques

Advanced Web Application Attacks

Blind SQL injection techniques.

Advanced XSS techniques (DOM-based, using third-party scripts). Exploiting race conditions in web apps.

Advanced CSRF payloads.
API Security

Common API vulnerabilities: Insecure endpoints, lack of authentication, rate-limiting issues.

Using tools like Postman and Burp Suite for API testing.

Common API security standards: OAuth, OpenID, JWT.
Mobile Application Security

Common mobile app vulnerabilities.

Mobile app reverse engineering and analysis. Testing mobile app APIs and local storage.
Cloud Security

Finding vulnerabilities in cloud services and storage (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

Testing misconfigurations in cloud infrastructure.

Module 8: Developing Bug Bounty Hunting Skills

Understanding and Participating in CTFs

Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges as practice for bug bounty hunting. Platforms for CTF practice: Hack The Box, TryHackMe, OverTheWire, CTF365.
Building and Customizing Tools

Writing your own web scraping or automation scripts in Python. Customizing Burp Suite extensions.

Writing exploit scripts and automating some attack vectors.
Continuous Learning and Staying Updated

Reading security blogs, reports, and advisories.

Participating in web security communities (Reddit, StackOverflow, Twitter).

Following vulnerability feeds and open-source security projects.

Module 9: Legal and Ethical Considerations

Legal Issues in Bug Bounty

Understanding the laws around hacking and bug bounty.

Different countries’ perspectives on ethical hacking and reporting vulnerabilities.

How to avoid legal risks and remain within the bounds of the law.

Responsible Disclosure

Ethical considerations when finding vulnerabilities.

Working with companies for responsible disclosure and patching.

Respecting privacy and confidentiality.

Module 10: Career Development in Bug Bounty

Bug Bounty as a Career

Transitioning from hobbyist to professional bug bounty hunter.

Building a portfolio with documented successful bug reports.

Creating an online presence: Blogging, sharing findings, contributing to forums.
Monetizing Bug Bounty Hunting

Understanding payouts and how bug bounty programs compensate.

Earning income from participating in multiple bug bounty programs.
Freelancing and Consultancy

Becoming a freelance security researcher or consultant.

Collaborating with organizations on custom security audits.

Practical Hands-On Lab Sessions

Participating in Real Bug Bounty Programs Joining open bug bounty programs on platforms like HackerOne, Bugcrowd.

Submitting reports and interacting with the program managers.
Hack The Box / TryHackMe Integration

Engaging in practical CTF challenges that mirror bug bounty vulnerabilities.

Testing different exploitation techniques in a safe environment.