Can a bug really be found in your first 48 hours on a platform like Bugcrowd?

The platform is often viewed as intimidating. The programs appear complex. The feeling of being lost is common. I know this feeling well.

I was told it takes months to find something. That was just a beginner's guide, which was just theory. I decided to test this myself with a focused sprint.

This is not a luck story. It's about methodology. I followed a clear plan, and valid bugs were the result. This is that plan, turned into a real-world success story you can use.

Phase 1: Hour 0–12 — Smart Setup & Target Triage

Your first half-day is not for testing. It is for building a laser-focused playground. This step prevents overwhelm.

Actionable Step 1: Picking Your First Public Program

Do not choose the biggest tech company. Look for a public program with these traits:

• Clear Scope: A defined list of target.com domains, not a vague "all our assets."
• Modern Tech: A web application you can interact with (not just an API).
• Beginner-Friendly: A program that has paid out for "simple" web security flaws like IDOR or broken access control in its past reports.

Actionable Step 2: Recon-Light & Account Mapping

Forget complex tools for now. Your goal is to understand.

1. Sign up. Create at least two test accounts. In my case: teacher_account and student_account.
2. Map the functionality. What can a teacher do? What can a student see? Simple notes are taken:

Teacher: Create Class, Add Student, Post Activity, Delete Class.
Student: Join Class, View Activity, Submit Answer.

3. Browse the site. Click every button. Notice the URLs. For example: /class/123/activity/456.

The Takeaway: A smart setup turns a huge target into a manageable puzzle. You're not poking randomly; you're learning the rules of a game.

Phase 2: Hour 12–36 — Systematic Testing & The First Win

With your playground set, a simple, two-part methodology is applied. This is where your first bug is often found.

Actionable Step 3: The "Vertical & Horizontal" Approach

This framework guides every test.

• Vertical Testing: Test everything for one user. Change your profile (PATCH /api/profile), reset your password, and upload an avatar.
• Horizontal Testing: Now, try to access another user's data or function. Can your student_id be used in the teacher's "create class" request? Can you view another user's profile by changing an ID?

Actionable Step 4: Intercept, Analyze, Modify

A proxy tool like Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP is now your best friend.

1. Turn on the proxy and configure your browser.
2. Perform a normal action on the site (e.g., change your email).
3. Find the request in the proxy's "History" tab.
4. Send it to the "Repeater" tool to modify and re-test freely.

The Narrative: Finding Bug #1 While testing the "change avatar" function, the request was captured:

PUT /webapi/v1/users/45122/avatar HTTP/1.1
Host: target.com
Authorization: Bearer <my_token>

The immediate thought was to change 45122 to another user's ID. An 403 Forbidden error was received—expected.

But then, the methodology kicked in. What if the logic for "writing" is secure, but "reading" is not?

In the Repeater tab, the request was changed PUT to GET and sent again.

GET /webapi/v1/users/45123/profile HTTP/1.1
Host: target.com
Authorization: Bearer <my_token>

Boom. The full profile details for the user 45123 were returned. An IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) was identified. The first report was submitted.

Mindset Tip: From minute one, your notes should be detailed enough to become a write-up. Screenshots are saved, requests are copied. Documentation is part of the process.

Phase 3: Hour 36–48 — The Deep Dive & Logic Flaws

The easy checks are done. This is the phase that separates a report from a great report. Shift from "testing features" to "breaking logic."

Actionable Step 5: Questioning Business Logic

Ask: "How is this supposed to work? What assumption is being made?"

For the classroom app, teachers shared activities with a link and a code. The system assumed: "If you have the link and code, you are authorized."

But what was the real security? The URL was: https://target.com/activity/4561245/learn

The simple, critical question was asked: "Is the random activity ID in the URL the only security check?"

The URL 4561245 was changed 4561244 in the browser's address bar. The page was reloaded.

An activity I was never invited to loaded perfectly. I could answer, submit, and view results. A classic broken access control flaw was uncovered — a valid bug with serious impact.

Actionable Step 6: Testing for Privilege Escalation

Now, test the relationships between your mapped user roles.

1. Log in to your lower-privilege account (e.g., student_account).
2. Try to directly access a URL or API endpoint only with your higher-privilege account (teacher_account) should use. For example: GET /webapi/v1/class/123/settings.
3. Use your proxy to intercept a high-privilege action (like promoting a user) from the teacher account. Send that request to Repeater.
4. In Repeater, try swapping the Authorization: Bearer <teacher_token> header with your student account's token. Then send the request again. Does it execute?

Mindset Tip: This is where you go beyond what others test. Everyone tests the password reset. Far fewer deeply question the core workflow and user relationships of the application. Curiosity is your primary tool.

Conclusion

Let's be clear: finding a bug in 48 hours is a skill that can be learned. This methodology is your blueprint:

1. Smart Setup (0–12 hrs): Choose wisely and map the territory.
2. Systematic Testing (12–36 hrs): Use Vertical & Horizontal testing with proxy tools.
3. Logic Deep Dive (36–48 hrs): Question assumptions and test user relationships.

This process is repeatable. Your first bug is not magic. It is the direct result of a focused, structured approach to ethical hacking.

Your call to action is simple:

1. Pick a public program on Bugcrowd this weekend.
2. Follow this 48-hour framework.
3. Document your process, whether you find a bug or not.
4. Turn it into a write-up and share your success story.

The community learns by sharing. I shared mine to help you start yours.