How to Get Started with Bug Bounty

Updated: 28 April 2025

Bug bounty hunting is a great way to learn and apply cybersecurity skills. It is one of a way to discovering vulnerabilities and earning rewards.

1. Learn the Basics

First of all, you need to understand the web security fundamentals, such as OWASP. OWASP is a non-profit organization that provides free resources to help you learn about web security. Explore ethical hacking, pennetration testing, and vulnerability testing methodologies. There are many bug bounty platforms available where you can find bugs and earn rewards, such as HackerOne, Bugcrowd, and Synack. Familiarizing yourself with those platforms will help you understand the process and take you ahead in the bug-hunting process.

2. Prepare Your Toolkit

There are many tools available in the web and market to help you with bug hunting. Tools such as Burp Suite, Nmap, Nikto and ffuf are widely used for reconnaissance and scanning. Other than that you can also use tools like SQLMap, and OWASP ZAP for exploitation. Learn data analysis and reporting techniques as well as security testing methodologies. Create custom scripts and tools to automate your workflow.

3. Practice on CTFs & Labs

Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges and labs are great ways to practice your skills. Websites like Hack The Box, TryHackMe, and VulnHub offer a variety of challenges to help you learn and practice. You can gain hands on experience and use them to test your bug-hunting skills. You can work on OWASP Juice Shop to practice web application security testing.

4. Start Hunting

Once you have a better understanding of tools and platforms, start with public bug bounty programs that allow beginners. Try to focus on one type of vulnerability first, such as XSS or SQL injection. Note down the steps and document findings and write detailed reports in softwares such as Powerpoint and Word. This will help you to understand the process and improve your skills.

5. Collaborate with the Community

You can follow many experts in various social media platforms or forums to learn from them. Join communities like Reddit, Facebook, and LinkedIn to connect with other bug hunters. You can also attend conferences and meetups to network with other professionals in the field. Read guides and blogs from experienced bug hunters to learn new techniques and tools.


Best of luck with your bug bounty hunting journey!