Introduction to Bug Bounty Terminology

Bug bounty programs incentivize ethical hackers to identify and report security vulnerabilities in applications, websites, and systems. Understanding key terms is critical for navigating these programs effectively. This guide outlines 40 essential terms to help you succeed in bug bounty hunting.

Why Terminology Matters

Familiarity with bug bounty terms enables clear communication with program owners, accurate vulnerability reporting, and efficient use of tools. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned hacker, mastering these terms strengthens your ability to identify and mitigate security risks.

40 Essential Bug Bounty Terms

Below is a curated list of 40 terms commonly encountered in bug bounty programs, organized for clarity and understanding:

1. Bug Bounty Program: A crowdsourcing initiative where organizations reward researchers for finding and reporting security vulnerabilities.
2. Vulnerability: A weakness in a system that can be exploited to compromise security.
3. Ethical Hacking: Authorized testing of systems to identify vulnerabilities for the purpose of improving security.
4. Scope: The defined boundaries of a bug bounty program, specifying which systems or applications can be tested.
5. Out-of-Scope: Systems or actions explicitly excluded from testing in a bug bounty program.
6. Exploit: A piece of code or technique that takes advantage of a vulnerability to cause unintended behavior.
7. Payload: The malicious code or data delivered by an exploit to a vulnerable system.
8. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): A vulnerability allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users.
9. SQL Injection: An attack injecting malicious SQL queries to manipulate or extract data from a database.
10. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): An attack tricking users into performing unintended actions on a web application.
11. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF): An attack where the server is tricked into making unauthorized requests to internal or external resources.
12. Remote Code Execution (RCE): A vulnerability allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on a target system.
13. Privilege Escalation: Gaining unauthorized access to higher-level permissions or resources.
14. Authentication Bypass: Exploiting flaws to access a system without proper credentials.
15. Session Hijacking: Stealing a user’s session token to impersonate them.
16. Information Disclosure: Unintended exposure of sensitive data, such as user credentials or system configurations.
17. Directory Traversal: Exploiting a system to access files or directories outside the intended scope.
18. Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR): Accessing unauthorized resources by manipulating identifiers in requests.
19. Burp Suite: A popular tool for web application security testing, used for intercepting and modifying HTTP requests.
20. OWASP: The Open Web Application Security Project, providing resources and guidelines for web security.
21. CVSS: Common Vulnerability Scoring System, a standard for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities.
22. CVE: Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, a database of publicly known vulnerabilities.
23. Proof of Concept (PoC): A demonstration showing how a vulnerability can be exploited.
24. Responsible Disclosure: Reporting vulnerabilities to organizations in a way that allows them to fix issues before public exposure.
25. Full Disclosure: Publicly sharing vulnerability details, often after responsible disclosure fails.
26. Bounty: The financial reward offered for reporting valid vulnerabilities in a bug bounty program.
27. Duplicate Report: A vulnerability report already submitted by another researcher, typically ineligible for a bounty.
28. Rate Limiting: Restricting the number of requests a user can make to prevent abuse or attacks.
29. Brute Force Attack: Attempting to guess credentials or keys through exhaustive trial and error.
30. Reconnaissance: Gathering information about a target system before testing, often using tools like nmap.
31. Subdomain Enumeration: Identifying subdomains of a target to expand the attack surface.
32. API Security: Testing application programming interfaces for vulnerabilities like improper access controls.
33. Broken Access Control: Flaws allowing unauthorized users to access restricted resources.
34. Clickjacking: Tricking users into clicking hidden elements on a webpage to perform unintended actions.
35. Command Injection: Executing arbitrary system commands through a vulnerable application.
36. File Inclusion: Exploiting applications to include unauthorized files, such as local or remote scripts.
37. Web Application Firewall (WAF): A security layer that filters and monitors HTTP traffic to protect web applications.
38. Fuzzing: Sending random or malformed inputs to a system to discover vulnerabilities.
39. Hashcat: A tool for cracking hashed passwords, often used in testing credential security.
40. Zero-Day: A previously unknown vulnerability exploited before a patch is available.

Using These Terms in Bug Bounty Programs

Understanding these terms equips you to navigate bug bounty platforms effectively. Here’s how to apply them:

1. Reading Program Policies

Review the scope and out-of-scope sections of a bug bounty program to ensure your testing aligns with the rules. Example: Check if testing APIs is allowed.

2. Identifying Vulnerabilities

Use tools like Burp Suite to test for vulnerabilities such as XSS, SQL Injection, or IDOR. Example: Intercept requests to test for SSRF.

curl -X GET "https://example.com/api/endpoint" -H "Host: malicious.com"

3. Reporting Vulnerabilities

Submit clear reports with a Proof of Concept (PoC), including steps to reproduce the issue. Follow responsible disclosure guidelines to maximize bounties.

Resources for Bug Bounty Hunters

Enhance your bug bounty skills with these resources:

• HackerOne – A leading bug bounty platform with program listings and resources.
• Bugcrowd – Offers bug bounty programs and educational content for researchers.
• OWASP Top Ten – A guide to the most critical web application vulnerabilities.
• Burp Suite Documentation – Tutorials for using Burp Suite in security testing.
• Hack The Box – Practice hacking skills in a controlled environment.

Conclusion: Mastering Bug Bounty Terminology

Mastering these 40 terms empowers you to participate effectively in bug bounty programs. By understanding vulnerabilities, tools, and processes, you can identify security risks and contribute to safer digital environments. Start exploring bug bounty platforms and apply these terms to enhance your ethical hacking journey.