👉 Start here (Part 1): https://medium.com/bug-bounty-hunting-a-comprehensive-guide-in/a-real-world-recon-workflow-one-command-clean-results-0043c6d9b552

👉 Then read Part 2: https://medium.com/bug-bounty-hunting-a-comprehensive-guide-in/part-2-a-real-world-recon-workflow-one-command-clean-results-989d73ffe14a

In Part 1, we built a safe, automated recon pipeline. In Part 2, we integrated Burp Suite to validate findings and produce clean evidence.

In Part 3, we do what most guides never explain properly:

How low-severity findings turn into high-impact, accepted reports.

This is about chaining — not exploits, not tools, not noise.

🧠 The Mindset Shift: Single Bugs vs Real Impact

Most bug bounty hunters stop too early.

They find:

  • a 403
  • an IDOR
  • a misconfiguration

…and report it immediately.

But security teams care about impact, not individual mistakes.

Chaining answers the question:

"What does this actually allow an attacker to do?"

🧩 The Full Chain (End-to-End)

Here's the complete flow we've been building across all three parts:

Recon
 → Hidden endpoint (ffuf)
 → 403 bypass
 → IDOR
 → Privilege escalation
 → Account takeover capability

Each step alone might be Medium or High. Together, they often become Critical.

🔍 Step 1: Hidden Endpoints (Where It All Starts)

This usually comes from:

  • ffuf results
  • historical URLs
  • undocumented API paths

Example:

/api/admin/users → 403

At this stage:

  • You do NOT bypass anything aggressively
  • You simply confirm the endpoint exists

Existence matters.

🔓 Step 2: 403 Bypass (Behavior, Not Tricks)

A 403 means:

"The server knows this endpoint exists."

Your job is to see if authorization is actually enforced everywhere.

In Burp Repeater, you observe:

  • Response code changes
  • Response body changes
  • New fields appearing

If behavior changes, stop.

You've found an authorization boundary flaw.

🔁 Step 3: IDOR (Object Ownership Testing)

Once access is possible, the next question is simple:

"Does the server check that this object belongs to me?"

In Burp:

  • Identify object references (user_id, account_id, path IDs)
  • Change one value only
  • Compare responses

If you can access another user's data:

  • That's IDOR
  • And it's the gateway to escalation

🔑 Step 4: IDOR → Privilege Escalation

Not all IDORs escalate — but some are dangerous.

You're looking for objects that carry authority, such as:

  • users
  • roles
  • accounts
  • organizations
  • permissions

Example:

{
  "user_id": 1024,
  "role": "user"
}

If that object is writable:

  • Even partially
  • Even indirectly

You may be able to increase privileges.

This is where severity jumps.

🚀 Step 5: Privilege Escalation → Account Takeover (ATO)

Privilege escalation becomes critical when it affects authentication or recovery.

Examples:

  • Resetting passwords for other users
  • Changing account email addresses
  • Disabling MFA
  • Generating long-lived access tokens

Important rule:

You never need to complete the takeover.

The capability is enough.

Security teams do not want you to:

  • lock users out
  • hijack real accounts
  • persist access

Demonstration > abuse.

🧾 Proving the Chain (Without Crossing Lines)

A clean chained report includes:

  1. Discovery (endpoint existence)
  2. Authorization bypass (403 behavior change)
  3. IDOR (object access)
  4. Privilege escalation (authority gained)
  5. ATO capability (clear, theoretical impact)

Each step should be backed by:

  • Burp requests
  • Burp responses
  • Clear explanation

No exploitation required.

🛑 When to Stop Testing (Very Important)

You stop when:

  • Impact is undeniable
  • The chain is complete
  • Further action would be destructive

You do not:

  • reset real passwords
  • change real emails
  • access private messages
  • maintain access

Stopping early protects you and your reputation.

🧠 Why Chained Reports Get Accepted Faster

From a security team's perspective, chained reports:

✔ Tell a story ✔ Explain real risk ✔ Map to business impact ✔ Justify higher severity

A single bug is easy to downgrade. A chain is hard to ignore.

🧩 Example Accepted Narrative (Simplified)

An attacker can discover a restricted administrative endpoint via recon. Due to improper authorization enforcement, access control can be bypassed. This allows unauthorized access to user objects, leading to IDOR. By modifying privilege-related fields, the attacker can escalate privileges. With elevated privileges, the attacker can reset passwords for other users, resulting in full account takeover.

Clear. Calm. Professional.

🧠 Final Thoughts (The Big Picture)

Bug bounty isn't about tools.

It's about:

  • understanding systems
  • respecting boundaries
  • proving risk clearly

If you:

  • automate carefully
  • validate manually
  • chain responsibly

You'll find fewer bugs — but far better ones.

👏 If this series helped you, please clap ☕ Support my work: https://buymeacoffee.com/ghostyjoe

This concludes the recon → impact series.

If there's interest, future posts may cover:

  • Writing high-severity reports
  • Triage psychology (how teams think)
  • Why some valid bugs still get closed
  • Advanced authorization testing patterns

Thanks for reading — and stay curious.