Most Important tools in Bug Bounty as per DevSecOps

Hello there! Your guy Zokomon is back, and today we’re diving into a topic “Most Important tools in Bug Bounty as per DevSecOps”. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, having the right tools in your arsenal can make all the difference in finding bugs.

Remember, tools don’t find bugs for you—they just make the process easier. Your skills, persistence, and creativity are what truly matter. Think of tools as your sidekicks in this epic bug bounty adventure. Let’s explore the ones the pros swear by!

• Burp Suite
  If you’re serious about bug bounty hunting, Burp Suite is non-negotiable. This tool is like your Swiss Army knife for web security testing.
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  Burp Suite helps with everything from intercepting requests to testing for vulnerabilities like XSS, SQLi, and CSRF. Its extensions like Collaborator and Logger++ take your hunting game to the next level.
  
  

  

  
  Pro Tip:
  Start with the Community Edition if you’re a beginner, but upgrade to Burp Suite Professional once you’re confident—it’s worth every penny.
  
  
• Nmap
  Nmap is a classic tool for network discovery and port scanning, and it’s still a favorite among pros.
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  It’s fast, reliable, and helps you map out a target’s network to identify open ports, services, and potential vulnerabilities.
  
  
  Pro Tip:
  Use scripts from Nmap’s NSE (Nmap Scripting Engine) to automate vulnerability scanning for common issues like outdated software or misconfigurations.
  
  
• Sublist3r and Amass
  Subdomain enumeration is a crucial step in bug bounty hunting, and tools like Sublist3r and Amass are here to save the day.
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  Sublist3r is fast and simple, while Amass offers deeper enumeration and integrates with other tools for advanced recon.
  
  
  
  Pro Tip:
  Use Sublist3r for quick scans and Amass for comprehensive subdomain discovery. Combining both gives you the best of speed and depth.
  
  
• httpx
  Manually visiting hundreds of URLs is a nightmare. That’s where httpx comes in, helping you filter out the noise and focus on the real targets.
  
  

  

  Why Pros Love It:
  Httpx quickly checks the status codes of URLs, identifies live endpoints, and saves you hours of manual work.

Pro Tip:
Run this command to filter URLs returning 200 (OK) status codes:
httpx -sc -l urls.txt
Only investigate 404s if something looks suspicious, like “/admin” or “/login.”

• Dirsearch or Dirbuster
  Finding hidden directories and endpoints is essential, and Dirsearch is the tool pros rely on for directory brute-forcing.
  
  

  

  Why Pros Love It:
  It’s lightweight, fast, and customizable. You can even specify file types or use wordlists to uncover admin panels, sensitive files, and more.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Use it with a custom wordlist tailored to your target to improve efficiency.
  
  
• CyberChef
  Think of CyberChef as the “hacker’s Swiss Army knife” for data manipulation and decoding.
  
  
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  From encoding and decoding data to analyzing payloads, CyberChef simplifies complex tasks in just a few clicks.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Use it to decode base64 strings or analyze JWT tokens for vulnerabilities.
  
  
• Recon-ng
  Recon-ng is an advanced reconnaissance framework that automates many tedious tasks.
  
  

  

  Why Pros Love It:
  It integrates with APIs to gather information like subdomains, IP addresses, WHOIS records, and more.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Spend time configuring your API keys for services like Shodan, Censys, and VirusTotal to maximize its potential.
  
  
• Ethical Hacker GPT
  AI tools are becoming the go-to for bug bounty pros, and Ethical Hacker GPT is leading the charge.
  
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  It explains complex vulnerabilities, suggests testing techniques, and even generates proof-of-concept scripts for you.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Ask questions like:
  “Explain CVE-2024-1234 step by step and provide a Python script to test it.”
  This tool saves hours of research and makes you more efficient.
  
  
• Shodan
  Shodan is like Google, but for discovering exposed devices and services on the internet.
  
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  It helps you find open ports, misconfigured servers, and exposed databases.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Combine Shodan with other recon tools to map out a target’s infrastructure.
  
  
• Postman
  When testing APIs, Postman is a must-have. It’s easy to use and powerful enough for advanced API testing.
  
  
  Why Pros Love It:
  Postman simplifies sending requests, analyzing responses, and testing authentication mechanisms.
  
  Pro Tip:
  Save your API requests in collections for reuse, and test for vulnerabilities like improper input validation or authentication flaws.
  

Final Thoughts
Tools are an essential part of bug bounty hunting, but remember—they’re only as good as the person using them. Learn to master the basics, stay curious, and never stop experimenting. Even the best tool won’t find a bug unless you know what you’re looking for.

You can read my previous blog on “Blockchain and how to find bugs in Web3” …

That’s all for today! Did I miss any tools you love? Let me know in the comments. And don’t miss the next blog, where we’ll discuss “The Role of Collaboration in Bug Bounty Success “.
Bye for now! ❤️