💡 Introduction:
Bug bounty hunting has changed many lives — some hackers have made thousands (or even millions) by finding vulnerabilities in top companies.
In this article, we’ll explore 10 real bug bounty reports that paid $10,000 or more, and what made each of them special.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced hunter, these reports will inspire you to push harder and think smarter.
🔟 Top 10 High-Paying Bug Bounty Reports
1. Shopify – $50,000 for GitHub Token Leak
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Hunter: @alex.birsan
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Bug Type: Exposed GitHub Token inside Electron app
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Impact: Allowed access to Shopify’s private repositories
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Reward: 💰 $50,000
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Lesson: Always check
.env, config files, and desktop app packages for secrets.
2. Twitter – $10,080 for IDOR Vulnerability
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Hunter: @zseano
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Bug Type: Insecure Direct Object Reference
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Impact: Accessed private user data
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Reward: 💰 $10,080
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Lesson: Test user IDs and API parameters for access control issues.
3. Facebook – $33,500 for Account Takeover
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Hunter: @orange_8361
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Bug Type: Logic flaw in OAuth
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Impact: Full account takeover via login flow
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Reward: 💰 $33,500
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Lesson: OAuth misconfigurations can lead to critical bugs.
4. Google – $13,337 for XSS in YouTube Studio
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Hunter: @s0md3v
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Bug Type: Stored XSS
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Impact: Executed JavaScript inside admin panel
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Reward: 💰 $13,337
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Lesson: Always sanitize HTML in internal dashboards too.
5. Apple – $100,500 for Zero-Click iCloud Exploit
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Hunter: Anonymous (Google Project Zero)
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Bug Type: RCE via malicious iMessage
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Impact: Remote code execution without user interaction
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Reward: 💰 $100,500
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Lesson: Even the most secure systems can be broken with creativity.
6. GitLab – $20,000 for Stored XSS
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Hunter: @shubham
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Bug Type: XSS via markdown rendering
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Impact: Code execution in maintainer accounts
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Reward: 💰 $20,000
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Lesson: Always test markdown and file uploads.
7. Yahoo – $15,000 for SSRF to RCE Chain
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Hunter: @bughunter
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Bug Type: Server-Side Request Forgery → RCE
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Impact: Remote code execution on Yahoo servers
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Reward: 💰 $15,000
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Lesson: SSRF can lead to full server compromise.
8. Uber – $10,000 for AWS Key Leak
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Hunter: @ankush
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Bug Type: Hardcoded AWS credentials
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Impact: Gained access to Uber infrastructure
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Reward: 💰 $10,000
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Lesson: Secrets should never be in public repos.
9. PayPal – $15,300 for Account Takeover via Password Reset
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Hunter: @security_prince
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Bug Type: Broken password reset logic
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Impact: Account takeover
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Reward: 💰 $15,300
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Lesson: Always test password reset endpoints carefully.
10. HackerOne – $20,000 for Sandbox Escape
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Hunter: @filedescriptor
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Bug Type: Sandbox Escape in H1 Platform
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Impact: Code execution in restricted environment
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Reward: 💰 $20,000
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Lesson: Even bug bounty platforms can have bugs!
🧩 Key Takeaways
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Focus on logic flaws, authentication, and sensitive data exposure — they often lead to high rewards.
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Use real-world reports from HackerOne, Bugcrowd, and Intigriti to learn exploit patterns.
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Never underestimate simple bugs — sometimes they pay big when the impact is well demonstrated.
🧭 Conclusion
Every one of these reports started with curiosity and persistence.
If you’re serious about bug bounty hunting, start small — but think like these pros.
You might be the next one to earn $10,000+ for a single report!