Introduction: What Is Bug Bounty and Why It Matters
Bug bounty is one of the fastest growing fields in cybersecurity and a major opportunity for anyone who wants to make money online while developing real technical skills. Bug bounty programs allow ethical hackers to test websites apps APIs cloud systems and report security vulnerabilities in exchange for financial rewards. Companies like Google Apple Meta Microsoft Shopify and hundreds of global organizations rely on bug bounty hunters to strengthen their security and discover vulnerabilities before malicious attackers can exploit them.
The bug bounty industry has become a global phenomenon because it solves a critical problem. No matter how big or advanced a company is its software will always contain bugs. Instead of waiting for breaches organizations proactively invite ethical hackers to test their systems legally and responsibly. This creates a win win situation where companies get better security and hackers earn money learning and reporting vulnerabilities.
This complete guide from CyberGuardHQ covers every detail you need including how bug bounty works tools methodology examples real world scenarios and advanced techniques that will help beginners and experts dominate the field.
Understanding Bug Bounty Programs
Bug bounty programs provide a safe environment for security researchers. Companies define clear rules scope allowed tests prohibited actions and reward structures. The scope defines what assets hackers may test such as domains subdomains APIs mobile apps Shopify stores SaaS dashboards or cloud environments.
How Bug Bounty Scopes Work
A typical bug bounty scope contains:
Scope in
example
*.company.com
api.company.com/v2
mobile-app endpoints
Shopify App Proxy endpoints
Out-of-scope
production databases
DoS attacks
testing without permission
social engineering
Reward guideline
Low severity
$100–$500
Medium severity
$500–$2,000
High severity
$2,000–$10,000
Critical
$10,000–$100,000+
Why Bug Bounty Is a Life-Changing Opportunity
Bug bounty is one of the only fields where you can start from zero with no degree and no job and still earn thousands per month based on your skills. Many top researchers started with no technical background but built their expertise through practice and consistency.
Key advantages:
-
Unlimited learning
-
Unlimited earning potential
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Real-world hacking experience
-
Remote work
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No need for a boss or company
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High demand for talent
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Exposure to advanced systems
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Opportunity to build a global reputation
The Most Common Vulnerabilities in Bug Bounty
CyberGuardHQ lists the top vulnerabilities that ethical hackers regularly discover:
1. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
One of the most found bugs. It occurs when an application fails to sanitize user input.
Example:
A comment field allowing:
<script>alert(document.domain)</script>
2. SQL Injection
Manipulating backend queries through user input.
Example:
SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = '1 OR 1=1'
3. IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference)
Accessing resources belonging to other users.
Example:
/order?id=1005
Changing it to:
/order?id=1006
4. Authentication Bypass
Skipping login using broken logic or parameters.
5. CSRF
Tricking users into performing actions without consent.
6. SSRF (Server-Side Request Forgery)
Forcing the server to send requests internally or externally.
Example:
url=http://localhost/admin
7. Misconfigurations
Leaking API keys environment variables OAuth secrets or cloud buckets.
Real Bug Bounty Examples from the Field
Example 1: IDOR in a Shopping Platform
A hacker found that order receipts were accessible without permission. He changed the orderID in the URL:
/invoice?order_id=78422
to
/invoice?order_id=78423
He gained access to other customers invoices, names, addresses and payment details.
Reward: $3,500
Example 2: Shopify API Key Leak on GitHub
A researcher found a .env file inside an Electron app.
It contained:
SHOPIFY_API_KEY=
SHOPIFY_SECRET=
This allowed full API access including:
-
Reading orders
-
Editing store settings
-
Accessing private customer details
Reward: $50,000 (Shopify)** — one of the most famous bounties.
Example 3: XSS in a Contact Form
A simple contact form displayed user input without encoding.
Payload used:
"><img src=x onerror=alert(document.cookie)>
Reward: $1,000
How to Start Bug Bounty as a Complete Beginner
CyberGuardHQ recommends this roadmap for new hackers:
Learn basics
HTTP requests responses
Cookies
Sessions
Headers
Status codes
Learn vulnerabilities
OWASP Top 10
XSS
SQLi
SSRF
IDOR
CSRF
Practice
Hack The Box
TryHackMe
Web Security Academy
bWAPP
DVWA
Start hunting
Beginner-friendly programs
Open scope programs
Shopify development stores
GitHub dorking
Recon automation
Bug Bounty Tools Every Hunter Must Use
1. Burp Suite
The number one tool for intercepting requests analyzing parameters discovering hidden functionality.
2. Subdomain Enumeration Tools
Subfinder
Amass
Assetfinder
3. FFUF or Dirsearch
Directory brute-forcing reveals hidden endpoints.
4. Nuclei
Automated scanning with templates for SSRF, RCE, XSS.
5. Postman / Insomnia
For API hacking.
6. GitHub Dorks
To find leaked secrets API keys tokens.
Examples:
filename:.env "SECRET"
shopify_api_key
Advanced Bug Bounty Techniques – How Professionals Find Big $$$ Bugs
1. Targeting App Proxies (Shopify)
Most Shopify stores use App Proxies. Many are vulnerable to:
-
XSS
-
SSRF
-
Command injection
-
API token leakage
Hunters who master this niche often get High or Critical bounties.
2. Cloud Misconfiguration Hacking
AWS
GCP
Azure
Common bugs:
-
Open buckets
-
IAM role misconfiguration
-
Public lambda functions
3. Corporate Recon at Scale
Use subdomain brute-forcing
Use ASN enumeration
Use certificate transparency logs
Use GitHub leaks
4. Logic Flaws in E-commerce
Double refund
Discount abuse
Checkout manipulation
Payment bypass
Example:
Changing product price in a cart request.
How to Write a Perfect Bug Bounty Report
A strong report includes:
Clear title
Example
"SSRF in image upload endpoint leads to internal leaks"
Steps to reproduce
Expected result
Actual result
Impact
Proof of concept
Suggested fix
Good reports get rewarded even when bugs are simple.
Conclusion
Bug bounty is not just hacking. It is learning, earning, building skills, discovering complex systems and contributing directly to cybersecurity. Anyone willing to learn can become a bug bounty hunter. This guide from CyberGuardHQ is your starting point to understanding bug bounty programs, tools, examples, methodologies, SEO, and advanced techniques that help you achieve real success.
Bug bounty is the future of cybersecurity.
Those who start today will dominate tomorrow.