Bug Bounty Rewards - How Long Will It Take to Find a Bug?

Bug bounties are a type of incentive that many companies and startups use to encourage software engineers to improve their code and identify any security issues before their competitors do. Companies that offer bug bounties believe that it is an effective way to attract top talent, retain software engineers, and build a successful business. However, a bug bounty hunter must be careful not to break any of the rules set by the company in order to qualify for the reward.

Here are some of the things we recommend that bug bounty hunters check before submitting a bug report:

Is The Bug Actually Worth $500+?

One of the first things a bug bounty company will ask you is how much you are willing to pay to have this flaw fixed. This is usually an amount that the company feels is reasonable for a high-quality security issue, and it gives you an idea of what you are looking at. If you are not sure how much it costs to fix a particular bug, you can always contact the vendor of the product or service that is affected.

In some cases, a bug can be found for free. For example, if you discover a security issue in the documentation of a widely used API (application programming interface), the company may decide it does not want to pay for the finding. In that case, you will need to choose one of the following options:

• Option 1: Create a Proof Of Concept To Demonstrate The Issue
• Option 2: Fix The Bug Yourself For Educational Purposes
• Option 3: Seek Help From The Community
• Option 4: Contact The Company For A Free Tester Role

If you decide to go with any of the above options, make sure that you research the best way to go about doing each one. For instance, creating a Proof Of Concept may be the best way to find a security issue in an API, but you will have to decide whether or not to publicly release the proof of concept once you find it. Educational purposes may be the best reason to fix a bug yourself, but you will need to be certain that you can do it quickly and correctly without any errors. Seeking help from the community is a great way to find a security issue but you will need to be sure that the issue you find is genuine and will not be identified by others before you find a way to resolve it.

What Is Your Name And Contact Information?

Each company that offers a bug bounty will have a special form for you to fill out to submit a report. In this form, you need to provide your full name, email address, telephone number, and a description of the bug. In addition, you will need to provide a short reason why you want to report the bug, and a longer explanation if the company asks for one. Make sure to give your name and contact information to the best of your knowledge, because you will need them to help you verify your identity once your report is submitted.

Is This A One-Time Thing Or Do You Want To Report This Bug Frequently?

Each company that offers bug bounty rewards wants to ensure that they only pay out for genuine security issues, so they will ask you this question. If you want to report this bug frequently, you should look for another option. However, if this is a one-time thing and you do not want to report it frequently, make sure to include a reason why you only want to report this issue once.

What Source Code Version Control System Do You Use?

Each company will have a special form in which they ask you about your source code version control system (VCS). If you do not know what VCS is, do not worry, you will not be penalized for not knowing. A VCS allows multiple users to work on the same code base while maintaining separate workspaces, each one containing a partial development copy of the code. This ensures that any changes that are made to the code do not affect the other users' version. A VCS also helps keep track of which changes were made by whom so there are no disputes about who made what changes. The source code VCS that you use will determine how easy or difficult it is for you to report a security issue. The more advanced the VCS is, the more difficult it will be for you to find a security issue. Do not underestimate the importance of this question.

Some good examples of source code VCSs are GitHub, BitBucket, and GitLab. If your VCS of choice is not on this list, it is time for you to consider upgrading.

Do You Use A Debug Build Or A Release Build?

Each company that offers bug bounty rewards will have a special form in which they ask you about the build of the code that you are using. A debug build is a build that a developer uses while developing the software. During this time, the developer typically does not want the software to be released into the public but wants to find as many errors as possible before submitting the software for testing. A release build is a build that a developer uses after completing all testing and fixing all the bugs that were found during the testing stage. After a release build is created, it is ready to be deployed to end users. Make sure to answer this question with either a "Yes" or "No.""

Do You Test The Result Of Your Security Research?

Each company that offers bug bounty rewards wants to make sure that they do not pay for any research that was not properly tested before it is released into the public. To further ensure the security of their users, many companies require that you test the result of your research. To do this, you must follow certain procedures. Once you complete these procedures, you can submit your report to prove that you have tested the issue that you reported. This will enable the company to verify your identity and payment.

Some examples of testing procedures are:

• Identify A Viable Attack Vector
• Create A Proof Of Concept
• Find A Way To Reprot The Issue
• Look For A Fix
• Document The Issue And Your Research
• Contact The Company For Verification
• Submit Your Report
• Wait For A Response From The Company
• If They Respond, Then Wait For Further Instructions

In order to test these items, you must take the time to find a private internet connection on a computer or mobile device that you own or have access to. You will not be able to test the above mentioned items on a public network due to security risks. Once you have a private network connection, make sure to download and run the latest version of Google Chrome.

What Is The Expected Duration Of The Bug?

Each company that offers bug bounty rewards will have a special form in which they ask you about the duration of the bug. This is a significant factor in determining how much they will pay out. If you find a bug that you think will take a long time to find a fix for, make sure to report it with a longer explanation. If you find a bug that you think will only take a short time to find a fix for, make sure to report it with a shorter explanation.

Are There Any Other Bugs Besides The Ones I Reported?

Every company that offers bug bounty rewards will have a special form in which they ask you about any other bugs that you may have found. Do not worry about revealing additional bugs that you may find, as this will only prove that you are a genuine researcher who is trying to help the company improve their security. In order to get the best possible response from the company, you should include as many bugs as possible in your report.

Keep in mind that in order to get the full reward, you must report all the bugs that you find. In case you do not find any security issues, you will not be able to claim the reward.

With all of the above information, you should now have enough information to confidently report a security issue to a company that offers rewards for doing so. Good luck!