Instructor: In this lesson, we're going to discuss 2 2
bug bounties and how they can be used 3 3
in the cybersecurity industry. 4 4
Now, a bug bounty program is a way for companies 5 5
to crowdsource security testing of their software, 6 6
services, and applications. 7 7
By offering financial compensation rewards 8 8
to ethical hackers and security researchers 9 9
who discover and report vulnerabilities, 10 10
organizations and companies 11 11
can better identify and address potential security issues 12 12
before they can be exploited by malicious actors. 13 13
Now, when a company creates a bug bounty program, 14 14
they typically set out the scope of the program 15 15
which includes the specific systems and applications 16 16
that are in scope for that test 17 17
as well as the rules and guidelines 18 18
for how and when vulnerabilities need to be reported. 19 19
Companies can also establish the reward system 20 20
which can include financial compensation, 21 21
swag, recognition or something else 22 22
that helps to incentivize security researchers 23 23
and ethical hackers 24 24
to participate in their bug bounty program. 25 25
Participation in a bug bounty program 26 26
can take many different forms. 27 27
As a cybersecurity professional working for a company, 28 28
you can participate by identifying 29 29
and reporting vulnerabilities 30 30
inside your own internal systems and software, 31 31
which can then help the company 32 32
improve their security posture. 33 33
Additionally, some companies will also allow 34 34
people from outside of their organization 35 35
to participate in bug bounties as third party testers. 36 36
And this helps 'em to identify 37 37
the most critical types of vulnerabilities, 38 38
which are those publicly facing vulnerabilities 39 39
on their websites and other software. 40 40
Individuals can also work 41 41
as independent penetration testers or researchers 42 42
as they're participating in these third party bug bounties. 43 43
They can then use the bug bounty program 44 44
as an opportunity to showcase their skills 45 45
and earn recognition within the cybersecurity community 46 46
as well as earning rewards and money for their findings 47 47
and helping to make the internet a more secure place. 48 48
Now, if you want to participate in a bug bounty program 49 49
as an individual penetration tester 50 50
or cybersecurity analyst, 51 51
you're normally going to have to research 52 52
the scope of the program 53 53
and identify vulnerabilities in the systems and applications 54 54
that are within the scope of that program. 55 55
These vulnerabilities will then be reported to the company 56 56
through a designated channel, 57 57
such as an online form or an email address 58 58
to collect your responses. 59 59
It's really important that you follow 60 60
the guidelines and rules provided by the company 61 61
to avoid any misunderstanding or breaching of their terms 62 62
of their bug bounty program. 63 63
If you're participating in a bug bounty program, 64 64
it's always important to approach testing 65 65
in a responsible and ethical manner 66 66
and avoid causing any kind of harm or disruption 67 67
to the systems, applications, or services 68 68
of the target organization. 69 69
It's also important to obtain any necessary permissions, 70 70
including legal agreements and non-disclosure agreements 71 71
that you may need to sign 72 72
before you begin doing your penetration testing. 73 73
If you're working as an organization 74 74
that wants to set up a bug bounty, 75 75
it's important that you have a robust system 76 76
for tracking, triaging, and remediating vulnerabilities 77 77
that are found through your bug bounty program. 78 78
This process can include steps such as 79 79
replicating and verifying reported vulnerabilities, 80 80
prioritizing vulnerabilities 81 81
based on their severity and potential impact, 82 82
and developing and implementing fixes. 83 83
Remember, in general, it's important for you 84 84
to register with the company ahead of time 85 85
if you're going to participate in their bug bounty program. 86 86
By registering, you're now considered 87 87
to be an ethical hacker under their bug bounty program 88 88
and not considered to be a malicious attacker 89 89
who's trying to exploit their systems without permission, 90 90
which would be considered a crime 91 91
and you want to avoid any kind of legal repercussions. 92 92
So, it's always important to ensure 93 93
you're registered properly with the company 94 94
before you begin testing their systems.