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Hi Vipul from The Hacker's Log here 👋

Alright, let's talk about money left on the table. 💸

I've been doing bug bounties for three years now, and I've seen incredibly talented hackers — people way smarter than me — miss easy bugs over and over again. Not because they lack skills, but because they're making the same recon mistakes everyone makes.

I know this because I made ALL these mistakes. And they cost me thousands of dollars in missed bounties. 😭

So here are the top 10 recon mistakes that are causing you to walk right past low-hanging fruit. Let's dive in. 👇

👉 Check out the ALL-IN-ONE Hacker Bundle here: 🔗 https://thehackerslog.gumroad.com/l/allinone?layout=profile

Mistake #1: Running Every Tool Before Understanding Any Output 🔧❌

What hackers do:

subfinder -d target.com -o subs.txt &
amass enum -d target.com -o amass.txt &
assetfinder --subs-only target.com >> assets.txt &
findomain -t target.com -u findomain.txt &
# Run everything in parallel! 🚀

Then they get 3,000+ subdomains and… don't know what to do with them. 🤷‍♂️

Why it's wrong: You're collecting data, not understanding it. You end up with analysis paralysis.

What to do instead:

# Just use 1-2 tools max
subfinder -d target.com -o subs.txt
cat subs.txt | httpx -silent -tech-detect -status-code | tee live.txt
# Now actually READ the output
# Look for interesting patterns manually
cat live.txt | grep -iE "admin|staging|dev|test|api|internal" | tee interesting.txt

Pick 5–10 interesting targets and actually investigate them. Quality over quantity. 🎯

Mistake #2: Ignoring JavaScript Files 📜🚫

This is HUGE. Like, I can't stress this enough. JavaScript files are literal goldmines. 💰

What hackers do: They run automated scanners and move on. Never actually download and read the JS files.

Why it's wrong: JS files leak:

• API endpoints that aren't linked anywhere 🔗
• Hardcoded secrets and API keys 🔑
• Hidden parameters 🎛️
• Internal function names and logic 🧠
• Admin panel URLs 🚪

What to do instead:

# Find all JS files
gospider -s "https://target.com" -o crawl/ -c 10 -d 3
cat crawl/* | grep "\.js" | grep -Eo "https?://[^\"']+" | sort -u | tee js_files.txt
# Download them
mkdir js_analysis
cat js_files.txt | while read url; do 
    wget -q "$url" -P js_analysis/
done
# Hunt for secrets 🔍
grep -r -iE "api_key|apikey|secret|token|password|aws_access|bearer" js_analysis/
# Find API endpoints
grep -r -E "api/|/v1/|/v2/|/v3/|endpoint" js_analysis/ | tee api_endpoints.txt
# Look for interesting parameters
grep -r -E "\?[a-zA-Z_]+=|&[a-zA-Z_]+=" js_analysis/ | sort -u

I've found multiple $1,000-$5,000 bugs just from reading JavaScript files. Don't skip this! ⚠️

Mistake #3: Not Testing Old/Archived Endpoints 📚❌

What hackers do: They only test what's currently live and linked.

Why it's wrong: Old endpoints often:

• Still work but aren't maintained 🏚️
• Have weaker security (old code) 🔓
• Expose deprecated APIs with no auth 🚨
• Leak sensitive data 💾

What to do instead:

# Use Wayback Machine
echo "target.com" | waybackurls | tee wayback.txt
# Filter interesting stuff
cat wayback.txt | grep -iE "\.json|\.xml|\.conf|\.bak|\.sql|admin|api|internal|dev" | tee wayback_interesting.txt
# Test if they still work
cat wayback_interesting.txt | httpx -silent -status-code -mc 200,403,401 | tee still_alive.txt
# Also use gau for more URLs
echo "target.com" | gau --blacklist png,jpg,gif,css,woff | tee gau_urls.txt

Real example: Found a /api/v1/admin/users endpoint from 2019 that still worked but had no authentication. $3,200 payout. 💵

Mistake #4: Skipping Parameter Discovery 🎛️🚫

What hackers do: They find an endpoint like /api/users?id=123 and only test the id parameter.

Why it's wrong: There might be hidden parameters like:

• admin=true 👑
• role=admin 🔑
• debug=1 🐛
• internal=true 🔒

What to do instead:

# Use Arjun to discover hidden parameters
arjun -u "https://target.com/api/users" -m GET -o params_found.txt
# Or use ffuf with a parameter wordlist
ffuf -w ~/wordlists/parameters.txt \
     -u "https://target.com/api/users?FUZZ=test" \
     -mc all -fc 404 \
     -fr "error|invalid|not found"
# Also use ParamSpider
paramspider -d target.com -o paramspider_output.txt

Pro tip: Sometimes just trying common params manually works:

# Original request
curl "https://api.target.com/users?id=123"
# Try these
curl "https://api.target.com/users?id=123&admin=true"
curl "https://api.target.com/users?id=123&role=admin"
curl "https://api.target.com/users?id=123&debug=1"
curl "https://api.target.com/users?id=123&internal=1"

Found an IDOR with &admin=1 parameter once. $2,500. 💰

Mistake #5: Not Fuzzing API Versions 🔢❌

What hackers do: They find /api/v2/users and only test v2.

Why it's wrong: Older API versions often have:

• Weaker validation 🛡️
• Missing authorization checks ⚠️
• Deprecated but still functional endpoints 🏚️
• More verbose error messages 📝

What to do instead:

# Fuzz for API versions
ffuf -w <(seq 1 20) -u "https://api.target.com/vFUZZ/users" -mc 200,401,403,500
# Also try these patterns
ffuf -w versions.txt -u "https://api.target.com/FUZZ/users" -mc all -fc 404
# versions.txt contains: v1, v2, v3, api/v1, api/v2, internal/v1, etc.
# Test different version formats
curl "https://api.target.com/v1/users"
curl "https://api.target.com/api/v1/users"
curl "https://api.target.com/internal/v1/users"
curl "https://api.target.com/1.0/users"

Real example: v2 required auth, but v1 didn't. Both returned the same data. 🤦‍♂️ $1,800 bounty.

Mistake #6: Forgetting to Test Without Authentication 🔓❌

What hackers do: They create an account, log in, and test everything authenticated.

Why it's wrong: You might miss broken authorization where endpoints work WITHOUT auth! 🚨

What to do instead:

Test EVERY interesting endpoint twice:

# 1. With authentication (your normal testing)
curl -X GET "https://api.target.com/v2/admin/reports" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
# 2. WITHOUT authentication
curl -X GET "https://api.target.com/v2/admin/reports" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
# Also try with invalid/expired tokens
curl -X GET "https://api.target.com/v2/admin/reports" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer invalid_token_123" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Pro tip: Use Burp Suite's "Remove Authorization Header" extension to quickly test this.

I've found SO MANY broken authorization bugs this way. Easy money. 💸

Mistake #7: Not Checking Source Code Repositories 💻❌

What hackers do: They never search GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket for the target's code.

Why it's wrong: Developers accidentally commit:

• API keys and secrets 🔑
• Database credentials 🗄️
• AWS access keys ☁️
• Internal URLs and endpoints 🔗
• .env files with everything 📄

What to do instead:

# Use github-search or truffleHog
github-search -d "target.com" -t $GITHUB_TOKEN -o github_results.txt
# Or manual GitHub dorks (in GitHub search)
"target.com" api_key
"target.com" password
"target.com" secret
"target.com" token
"target.com" filename:.env
"target.com" extension:pem
"target.com" AWS_ACCESS_KEY

Also search for:

• Company name + "api"
• Product names
• Developer usernames (find in LinkedIn)
• Email domains (@target.com)

Real example: Found AWS credentials in a public repo. Reported immediately. $5,000 critical bounty. 🔥

Mistake #8: Ignoring Subdomain Takeovers 🏚️❌

What hackers do: They find dead/broken subdomains and ignore them.

Why it's wrong: These are easy bugs! If a subdomain points to a service that doesn't exist anymore, you can often claim it. 🎯

What to do instead:

# Find all subdomains
subfinder -d target.com -o subs.txt
# Check for takeovers with subjack
subjack -w subs.txt -t 100 -timeout 30 -o subjack_results.txt -ssl
# Or use subzy
subzy -targets subs.txt -concurrency 100 -hide_fails -output subzy_results.txt
# Manual check - look for these errors:
# - "No such app" (Heroku)
# - "There isn't a GitHub Pages site here" (GitHub Pages)
# - "Project not found" (GitLab)
# - "Repository not found" (Bitbucket)
# - "This domain is successfully pointed at WP Engine, but is not configured" (WPEngine)

Pro tip: Also check CNAMEs pointing to S3 buckets that don't exist:

# Find CNAMEs
dig CNAME staging.target.com
# If it points to something.s3.amazonaws.com but returns 404
# Try creating that bucket! (Responsibly, for testing only)

These are literally free money if you find them. 💰

Mistake #9: Not Testing Different HTTP Methods 🔄❌

What hackers do: They only use GET requests.

Why it's wrong: Different HTTP methods might have different security:

• GET is read-only
• POST/PUT/PATCH might have weaker validation
• DELETE might work without auth
• OPTIONS might leak info 📝

What to do instead:

# Test all methods on an endpoint
curl -X GET "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123"
curl -X POST "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123" -d '{"admin":true}'
curl -X PUT "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123" -d '{"role":"admin"}'
curl -X PATCH "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123" -d '{"admin":1}'
curl -X DELETE "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123"
curl -X OPTIONS "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123"
# Sometimes even weird methods work
curl -X HEAD "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123"
curl -X TRACE "https://api.target.com/v2/users/123"

Real example: GET /api/users/123 required auth. But PUT /api/users/123 didn't check authorization and let me modify any user. 🤯 $4,000 payout.

Mistake #10: Not Using Burp Suite Properly 🔥❌

What hackers do: They run automated scanners but never manually explore with Burp.

Why it's wrong: Burp shows you EVERYTHING:

• Hidden parameters in responses 🎛️
• Cookies and headers you didn't notice 🍪
• The actual API structure 🗺️
• Unexpected behavior 👀

What to do instead:

Set up your browser to proxy through Burp:

# Set browser proxy to localhost:8080
# Or use Burp's embedded browser

Then actually use the application like a normal user for 30–60 minutes:

• Create an account ✍️
• Click every button 🖱️
• Try every feature 🎮
• Fill out every form 📝
• Upload files 📤
• Change settings ⚙️

While doing this, watch the HTTP History tab in Burp constantly. 👀

Look for:

• API endpoints you didn't know existed
• Hidden parameters in JSON responses
• Interesting cookies or tokens
• IDs, UUIDs, or references to other users
• Error messages with sensitive info
• Debug headers or parameters

Pro tip: Use Burp's "Site Map" to see all discovered endpoints organized.

My "Easy Bugs" Recon Checklist ✅

Here's a simple checklist I use for every target. It takes 2–3 hours but finds bugs consistently:

# 1. Basic subdomain discovery (10 min)
subfinder -d target.com -o subs.txt
cat subs.txt | httpx -silent -tech-detect | grep -iE "admin|api|dev|staging" | tee interesting.txt
# 2. JavaScript analysis (30 min)
gospider -s "https://target.com" -d 3 -c 10 -o crawl/
# Download and grep JS files for secrets/endpoints
# 3. Wayback Machine (15 min)
echo "target.com" | waybackurls | grep -iE "json|xml|api|admin" | httpx -mc 200
# 4. Parameter discovery (20 min)
arjun -u "https://target.com/api/endpoint" -m GET
# 5. API version fuzzing (10 min)
ffuf -w <(seq 1 10) -u "https://api.target.com/vFUZZ/users" -mc all -fc 404
# 6. Test without auth (15 min)
# Try all interesting endpoints without tokens
# 7. GitHub search (20 min)
# Search for "target.com" + api_key, password, secret, .env
# 8. Subdomain takeover check (10 min)
subjack -w subs.txt -t 100 -o takeovers.txt
# 9. HTTP method testing (15 min)
# Try GET, POST, PUT, DELETE on key endpoints
# 10. Manual Burp exploration (45 min)
# Use the app normally, watch everything in Burp

Total time: ~3 hours per target 🕐

Average bugs found: 1–3 easy bugs per target 🐛

Average payout: $1,000-$5,000 💰

Real Results Using This Methodology 📊

Here are my last 5 bugs found using this exact approach:

1. Unauthenticated API endpoint (Mistake #6) — $4,500 💵
2. Hardcoded AWS key in JS (Mistake #2) — $3,000 💵
3. Old API v1 with no auth (Mistakes #3 + #5) — $2,200 💵
4. Hidden admin parameter (Mistake #4) — $1,800 💵
5. Subdomain takeover (Mistake #8) — $500 💵

Total: $12,000 in one month from "easy bugs" that most hackers missed. 🎯

The Mindset Shift 🧠

Stop trying to be the hacker who finds the most subdomains.

Start being the hacker who understands the target better than anyone else. 🎓

Stop running 10 tools in parallel.

Start running 2–3 tools and actually analyzing the output. 🔍

Stop looking for complex bugs.

Start finding the easy bugs everyone else walks past. 🚶‍♂️➡️💰

Your Action Plan 📋

Here's what to do RIGHT NOW:

1. Pick a bug bounty target you've already done recon on 🎯
2. Go through just Mistakes #2, #3, and #6 from this article ✅
3. Spend 1 hour on each mistake 🕐
4. I bet you'll find something new 🐛

Seriously, try it. Come back and let me know what you found. 💬

The Tools You Actually Need 🧰

You don't need 50 tools. Here's my essential kit:

Subdomain Discovery: 🔍

• subfinder - Fast and reliable
• amass (passive mode) - Historical data

HTTP Probing: 💻

• httpx - Tech detection + status codes

Crawling/Spidering: 🕷️

• gospider - JS-heavy apps
• gau - Wayback URLs
• waybackurls - More Wayback data

Fuzzing: 💥

• ffuf - Everything (endpoints, params, versions)

Parameter Discovery: 🎛️

• arjun - Hidden parameters
• paramspider - Parameter extraction

Subdomain Takeover: 🏚️

• subjack - Fast takeover detection
• subzy - Another good option

Manual Testing: 👨‍💻

• Burp Suite Pro - Non-negotiable
• curl - Quick API testing
• Browser DevTools — Underrated

Source Code: 💻

• github-search - Search GitHub
• truffleHog - Find secrets

That's it. Maybe 12 tools total. Master these instead of installing 100 random tools. 🎯

🔥 ALL-IN-ONE HACKER BUNDLE

This bundle is built for hackers who want results, not tool overload.

Inside, you'll get:

✅ Step-by-step recon checklists ✅ Real-world bug bounty testing workflows ✅ Curated payload collections for common vulnerabilities ✅ Practical methodology notes I use during live targets ✅ A structured process so you stop guessing what to test next

Instead of:

"I found an endpoint… now what?"

You'll have:

A clear list of what to test, how to test it, and what bugs to look for.

It's basically the system behind the tips you just read in this article — but organized so you can reuse it on every target.

🎯 Perfect for:

• Beginners who feel overwhelmed
• Intermediate hunters who want more consistency
• Anyone tired of running tools without a plan

👉 Check out the ALL-IN-ONE Hacker Bundle here: 🔗 https://thehackerslog.gumroad.com/l/allinone?layout=profile

Final Thoughts 💭

The biggest lesson I've learned in bug bounties: Easy bugs are everywhere. 🐛

Most hackers are looking for complex chain vulnerabilities and 0-days. Meanwhile, there are literally thousands of basic bugs just sitting there:

• Unauthenticated endpoints 🔓
• Old API versions with no security 📚
• Hardcoded secrets in JavaScript 🔑
• Broken authorization 🚨
• Subdomain takeovers 🏚️

These aren't sexy. They won't get you Twitter clout. 📱

But they WILL get you paid. 💰

And honestly? Getting paid $2,000 for finding a simple unauth'd API endpoint feels pretty damn good. 😎

📌 Connect With Us

• 🌐 Website: https://thehackerslog.com/
• 📝 Substack: https://thehackerslog.substack.com/
• 🔗 LinkedIn: The Hackers Log
• ✍️ Medium: @vipulsonule71