The $1,300 Sequel: Why Retesting is a Bug Hunter’s Secret Weapon
This article emphasizes the importance of retesting during bug hunting, as demonstrated by a successful SQL Injection (SQLi) finding. The vulnerability stemmed from an application accepting user-controlled input without proper sanitization, allowing for SQL injection via malicious input in search queries. After initial testing and reporting, the researcher realized that the original payload was blocked due to Content Security Policy (CSP) measures. By crafting a cleverly encoded payload using Base64 and JavaScript, the researcher circumvented these restrictions and successfully exploited the SQLi flaw. Subsequent retesting confirmed the vulnerability persisted despite CSP implementation. The initial report was rejected; however, after demonstrating the issue with the new payload, the researcher received a $1,300 bounty and a significant increase in reputation. The article underscores the importance of thorough testing and the ability to adapt strategies for overcoming various defense mechanisms—perseverance is key in bug hunting. Key lesson: Retesting and adapting strategies are essential in bypassing defensive measures and maximizing bounty opportunities. #BugBounty #SQLInjection #CSP #WebSecurity #Perseverance
https://medium.com/@gopikrishna0295/the-1-300-sequel-why-retesting-is-a-bug-hunters-secret-weapon-b2734005f209?source=rss------bug_bounty-5