The Blueprint to Your First $1,000+ Bounty

Summary

In this motivational video, Ben, a successful bug bounty hunter, shares his roadmap to help beginners earn their first $1,000 bounty in 2024 and set the stage for a breakthrough year in 2025. He outlines a four-week plan, emphasizing the importance of focusing on one bug bounty program, understanding it deeply, and adopting a systematic testing approach. With actionable advice on selecting the right program, getting to know its ins and outs, and creatively identifying vulnerabilities, Ben encourages consistent, focused effort. The key to success lies in daily commitment, learning from each step, and staying dedicated to the process.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on landing your first $1,000 bounty before aiming for bigger payouts in bug bounty hunting.
• 😀 Consistent effort and a clear roadmap are essential to making 2025 your breakthrough year in bug hunting.
• 😀 Success in bug bounties is a gradual process; you need to walk before you can run and hit smaller milestones first.
• 😀 Pick one bug bounty program and stick with it—deep knowledge of a program leads to higher rewards.
• 😀 Don’t rely solely on automated tools; they should help you be more efficient, not replace the need for creative testing.
• 😀 Make bug hunting a daily habit—even just an hour or two a day will significantly improve your results over time.
• 😀 Week 1: Spend time selecting a bug bounty program that aligns with your interests and has a large attack surface.
• 😀 Week 2: Get familiar with your chosen program by learning about their systems, signing up for different accounts, and understanding their workflows.
• 😀 Week 3: Take a systematic approach to hunting—focus on specific features or flows each day and document everything you discover.
• 😀 Week 4: Start combining your findings creatively to break systems and identify higher-impact vulnerabilities, making your reports stand out.
• 😀 No matter where you are in your journey, always remember to take action—start today, not tomorrow, to turn your bug hunting career into a real business.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the video?

The main goal of the video is to motivate and guide viewers to land their first $1,000 bug bounty in 36 days, setting them up for a successful career in bug bounty hunting by 2025.

Why is focusing on one bug bounty program important?

Focusing on one bug bounty program allows hunters to go deeper into the program, understand its logic, and spot vulnerabilities that others might miss. It increases the chances of landing a significant bounty compared to hopping between many programs.

What is the significance of landing the first $1,000 bounty?

Landing the first $1,000 bounty is a major milestone because it proves to the hunter that bug bounty hunting can be a legitimate career path. It builds confidence and sets the stage for further success.

How should beginners approach bug bounty hunting in the first week?

In the first week, beginners should focus on program selection by browsing platforms like HackerOne or Bugcrowd. They should look for programs with large attack surfaces and ones they would be excited to brag about hacking. Narrow this down to one program to focus on.

What does the second week of the roadmap entail?

Week 2 is about getting comfortable with the selected target program. This involves spending time learning everything about the target—signing up for free trials, studying their documentation, creating accounts with different permission levels, and mapping out how their features work.

What should hunters focus on during the third week?

During the third week, hunters should start testing systematically. Each day, they should focus on one feature or flow, aiming for objectives like account takeovers or sensitive data access. They should also document everything, even if it doesn’t immediately seem like a vulnerability.

How can hunters level up in the fourth week?

In the fourth week, hunters should get creative by combining findings and testing in unconventional ways. This is where they can break the logic and flow of the program, leading to more valuable bugs that can result in $1,000 or higher bounties. Writing impactful reports is key.

Why is it crucial not to rely too heavily on automated tools?

Automated tools should be used to handle repetitive tasks, not to replace critical thinking and creativity. Tools can help increase efficiency, but it’s the hunter's knowledge, problem-solving, and ability to think outside the box that lead to significant discoveries and bounties.

What are some examples of common vulnerabilities Ben focuses on?

Ben focuses on vulnerabilities like XSS (cross-site scripting), especially blind XSS, SSRF (server-side request forgery), and information disclosures, such as IDOR (insecure direct object reference) and business logic flaws.

What advice does Ben give for those balancing bug bounty hunting with other commitments?

Ben emphasizes that while bug bounty hunting is demanding, it is possible to succeed by dedicating 1-2 hours a day. Consistency is key—just like going to the gym, small daily efforts will lead to long-term success. He acknowledges that many people balance bug hunting with jobs, school, or family, so the timeframes are designed to be realistic for those with busy schedules.