Ruslan Rakhmetov, Security Vision
In today's digital world, software underpins just about everything from our smartphones to critical infrastructure. However, as you know, no program is perfect, and even the most carefully designed systems can hide errors and vulnerabilities. It is here that Bug Bounty enters the scene - an activity that turns the search for these very "bugs" into an exciting activity, a way to study the world of information security and IT, and even a source of income.
Bug Bounty, as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a method of rewarding individuals for reporting software bugs, flaws, or glitches that could lead to security use or vulnerabilities. Essentially, the companies are offering cash rewards to qualified security researchers, also known as ethical hackers, for discovering and reporting these vulnerabilities. If no financial reward is provided, such an initiative is called a vulnerability disclosure program. Remember, we told you about penetration testing? So, Bug Bounty can be seen as a form of such crowdsourced testing. It's like spell-checking when you write important text and ask a few friends to subtract it for errors. Whoever finds the most typos and grammatical errors receives a small gift or thanks from you. Or we, when we wrote this article, also asked the editors to find typos, attracting them as bug hunters. In the world of information security, they could also be called ethical hackers, which we also talked about.
Bug Bounty programmes work on a fairly simple principle: when a security researcher finds a flaw in software, he or she responsibly reports it to the organisation, rather than using it or making it publicly available. In turn, if the company confirms the existence of the vulnerability, the whistleblower receives a reward, usually monetary, depending on the severity and complexity of the problem found.
The entire process can be thought of as a cycle of several steps:
1) running the programme;
2) detecting the vulnerability;
3) verification and validation of reports;
4) payment of the reward.
Programmes can be private (visible only to invited researchers), application-based (requiring approval to participate), registration-based (available only to registered users of the platform) or public (open to all interested parties). The organisation chooses the appropriate format for itself and initiates the launch by defining the scope of its programme. The products or services to be tested, what types of vulnerabilities are of interest, and the rules of engagement are specified.
Security researchers, using their knowledge and skills, begin searching for bugs within the defined scope. These individuals have in-depth knowledge of web security, application security, infrastructure security, and other areas, which allows them to identify flaws that might go undetected during normal internal testing. Once a vulnerability is discovered, the researcher reports it to the company through a secure channel. The report includes details about the vulnerability, how it was exploited, and sometimes suggestions for remediation. The quality of the report is critical for the company to understand and validate the problem.
Upon receipt of the report, the company assesses it to verify its validity and determine severity based on potential exposure and operability. This step is extremely important because it determines whether the error meets the requirements for the payment of remuneration and what its amount will be. If the report is accepted, the investigator is rewarded. The reward amount usually correlates with the severity and complexity of the vulnerability.
Although monetary reward is an important incentive for many bug hunters, the ethical side of the issue plays an equally important role. Ethical hackers adhere to certain rules and principles, including responsible disclosure of information and refusal to exploit discovered vulnerabilities to the detriment. There are certain activities that are strictly prohibited under Bug Bounty programs, such as exploiting vulnerabilities for personal gain, accessing or modifying data without permission, harming systems, and publicly disclosing vulnerabilities until they are addressed. Some programs offer so-called "safe harbor" provisions that provide some legal protection to researchers who comply with the program's rules. In addition to financial motivation, many bug hunters seek to contribute to safety improvements, gain new knowledge and skills, and earn recognition in the community.
Imagine that you bought a new TV, and at home you found that one of the functions did not work for it. You inform the manufacturer about this, and he, as a thank you for the defect discovered, offers you free repairs and a discount on your next purchase. Bug Bounty works in a similar way: you find a "marriage" (vulnerability) in the software and report it to the company, and it rewards you for it. Unlike traditional penetration testing, which takes place over a period of time, Bug Bounty provides continuous testing and vulnerability detection.
Having figured out how the process works, we will form a list of benefits for organizations and the user community:
- The main goal of the program is to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. By involving a large number of independent researchers in the search for errors, companies significantly increase the level of security of their products and services.
- Maintaining your own security team or conducting regular penetration tests can be costly. Bug Bounty only allows companies to pay for discovered and confirmed vulnerabilities, making this approach more cost-effective.
- Bug Bounty programs attract researchers with a wide variety of skills and experience from around the world. This diversity allows a wider range of vulnerabilities to be identified, including those that could have missed internal commands or automated tools.
- Unlike one-time security audits, Bug Bounty is usually periodic, which ensures constant monitoring and identification of vulnerabilities. This is especially valuable for companies that often release updates to their software.
- The presence of the Bug Bounty program demonstrates the company's serious attitude to security, which can increase the confidence of customers and partners. Finding and fixing bugs early in development is significantly cheaper than fixing problems in an already released product.
There are many platforms that act as intermediaries between companies and security researchers. These platforms provide the infrastructure, policies, and processes needed to effectively run Bug Bounty programs. They simplify the process of submitting reports, verifying them and distributing rewards. Some of the more popular platforms are YesWeHack, HackerOne (large community, wide range of programs) with contributors such as Shopify, GitHub, GitLab, Bugcrowd, crowdsourced security, public and private programs with examples of T-Mobile, Atlassian and Mastercard, Intigriti with 600 + programs and the participation of Intel, Arm and Visma. These platforms often offer features such as researcher vetting, analytics, and tailoring hackers to specific programs.
Large companies such as Google, Microsoft and Apple offer significant rewards for discovering critical vulnerabilities. For example, Google paid a record $605,000 reward for detecting a serious vulnerability. For some people, Bug Bounty has become not just a hobby, but a full-fledged source of income.
Bug Bounty presents a unique opportunity for both companies looking to improve their security posture and people passionate about cybersecurity and looking to put their knowledge into practice and potentially capitalize on it. It's a dynamic field that offers endless opportunities to learn, grow and make a real contribution to a safer digital world. If you have curiosity, an analytical mind and a desire to learn, perhaps Bug Bounty will be your first step into the exciting world of cybersecurity. We promote the ideas of transparency, manageability and automation of processes, so we were pleased to share with you information about the interaction of companies, developments and communities of students and professionals working for the benefit of society as a whole.
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