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Dr. Rohit Gautam, Shifa Cyclewala, and Hacktify Cyber Security

Welcome to Recon for Bug Bounty, Pentesting & Ethical Hacking.

This course starts with the Basics of Recon & Bug Bounty Hunting Fundamentals to Advance Exploitation.

This course starts with basics with Web and Web Server Works and how it can be used in our day to day life. We will also learn about

This course covers All the Tools & Techniques for Penetration Testing & Bug Bounties for a better understanding of what’s happening behind the hood.

The course also includes in depth approach towards any target and increases the scope for mass hunting and success.

Read more

Welcome to Recon for Bug Bounty, Pentesting & Ethical Hacking.

This course starts with the Basics of Recon & Bug Bounty Hunting Fundamentals to Advance Exploitation.

This course starts with basics with Web and Web Server Works and how it can be used in our day to day life. We will also learn about

This course covers All the Tools & Techniques for Penetration Testing & Bug Bounties for a better understanding of what’s happening behind the hood.

The course also includes in depth approach towards any target and increases the scope for mass hunting and success.

With this course, we will learn Target Selection Techniques for Host, Subnet Scans & Host Discovery, Content Discovery, Subdomain Enumeration Horizontal & Vertical, CMS Identification, Fuzzing the target for finding web vulnerabilities like XSS, Open Redirect, SSRF, Sql Injection etc. How to increase the scope and take screenshots for large number for hosts for better visualisation. We will also learn How to use Shodan for Bug Bounties to find critical vulnerabilities in targets. We will also see Github Recon to find sensitive information for targets like API keys from GitHub Repositories. Next we will see How to perform Automation for daily day to day tasks and easier ways to run tools, We will also see How to write Bug Bounty & pentesting Reports. We will also cover mind maps by other hackers for a better approach towards any target and also we will see mindmap created by us. We will also see Bug Bounty Platforms and how to kick start our journey on them.

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the course content:

In all the sections we will start the fundamental principle of How the scan works and How can we perform Exploitation.

  • In Introduction, We will cover What is Web, What are Web Servers, DNS and We will also learn about DNS and How DNS works and also How DNS is important in our day to day life.We will also see the difference between We will also learn about Bug-Bounty Hunting and Understand the Importance of Recon in Bug-Bounty Hunting and Pentesting.

  • Before starting the journey, We will see Top-10 rules for Bug-Bounty Hunting and we will understand the psychology of the Hackers.

  • In Shodan for Bug-Bounties we will start with the installation of Shodan and we will learn about Shodan Queries such as Info, Count downloads and many more and will run them from our command line. We will also learn Host Enumeration, Parse dataset, Search Queries, Scan commands using Shodan. The Section cannot be completed without learning about Shodan GUI which is very simple and easily understandable. We will also see Shodan Images, Exploits , Report generation and alot more.

    In the end, we will see the summary and revision of the section to remember the important queries and key points.

  • We will see live hunting with Shodan and understand about latest CVE’s and perform exploits. We will see Jenkins Exploitation Logs, Jenkins Exploitation Credentials, ADB under Shodan LIVE Hunting.

  • In Certificate Transparency for Subdomain Enumeration we will learn about crt[dot]sh, wildcards of crt[dot]sh and We will learn automation for crt[dot]shto enumerate subdomains for a target. We will also learn about Shodan, Censys for Subdomain Enumeration, We will learn about Google and Facebook Certificate Transparency. We will also learn to find out Subdomains using DNS Dumpster and enumerate all the DNS records as well as save the hosts in a xlsx format. We will also see the workflow for dnsdumpster to know about the whole target server from its DNS records like

  • In Scope Expansion we will learn about ASN Lookup, Pentest tools, VirusTotal. We will also learn about some awesome tools like Sublister, Subfinder, knockpy, Asset Finder, Amass, Findomain, Sublert, Project Discovery Nmmapper and a lot more. We will also understand how to use them effectively for expanding the scope to walk on less travelled road and achieve success in bug bounties

  • In DNS Enumeration for Bug-Bounties we will learn and understand about DNS Dumpster, DNS Goodies, Altdns, Massdns, Vertical & Horizontal Correlation (Viewdns.info) and enumerate the subdomains from the recursive DNS.

  • We will start with Introduction to Fuzzing, Its importance and Step by Step process, We will see fuzzing practically on LAB and LIVE websites to understand better.We will Learn, Understand and Use tools like Wfuzz and FFUF and also see how we can perform recursive fuzzing on the target. We will also perform HTTP Basic Auth Fuzz to crack the login of the dashboards and also do Login Authentication Cracking with the help of useful wordlists.

  • We will utilise some of the wordlists like Seclists, FuzzDB, Jhaddix All.txt and will also see how to make our own custom wordlists for the targets.

  • Content Discovery covers tools like Dirsearch, Gobuster which will be helpful for finding out sensitive endpoints of the targets like db.conf or env files which may contain the DB username and passwords. Also sensitive information like periodic backups or source code and can also be identified which can lead to compromise of the whole server.

  • In CMS Identification we will learn and understand about Wappalyzer, Builtwith, Netcraft, Whatweb, Retire.js

    As Banner Grabbing and identifying information about the target is the foremost step, we will identify the underlying technologies which will enable us to narrow down the approach which will lead to success.

  • In WAF Identification we will see WAF Detection with Nmap, WAF Fingerprinting with Nmap, WafW00f vs Nmap.

    We will know, If there are any firewalls running on the target and accordingly send our payloads to the targets and throttle our requests so we can evade them successfully.

  • The Mindmaps for Recon and Bug-Bounty section will cover the approach and methodology towards the target for pentesting and bug bounty. A strong and clear visual building block visual representation will help in performing the attack process with more clarity and will help in knowing the next steps.

  • The Bug-Bounty Platforms section contains a Roadmap of How to start your Bug-Bounty Journey on different Platforms like Hackerone, Bugcrowd, Integrity, Synack, It also covers how to Report Private RVDP Programs.

    With this course, you get 24/7 support, so if you have any questions you can post them in the Q&A section and we'll respond to you as soon as possible.

    Notes:

    • This course is created for educational purposes only and all the websites I have performed attacks are ethically reported and fixed.

    • Testing any website which doesn’t have a Responsible Disclosure Policy is unethical and against the law, the author doesn’t hold any responsibility.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Recon
  • Target expansion
  • Content discovery
  • Fuzzing
  • Cms identification
  • Certificate transparency
  • Visual recon
  • Github recon
  • Custom wordlists
  • Mindmaps
  • Bug bounty automation
  • Bash scripting
  • Bug bounty roadmap
  • Report writing
  • Shodan for exploitation
  • Subdomain enumeartion
  • Dns dumpster
  • Ffuf & wfuzz
  • Project discovery
  • Subjack for bug bounties
  • Amass for bug bounties
  • Dirsearch for bug bounties
  • Masscan for bug bounties
  • Nmap for bug bounties
  • Ctf
  • Recon methodologies
  • Asn identification
  • Tls cert extraction
  • Show more
  • Show less

Syllabus

Introduction
Bug Bounty Recon Introduction
Motivation & Importance
Future Updates
Read more

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers target selection techniques, which can help learners identify valuable targets for bug bounties and penetration testing engagements
Explores subdomain enumeration using tools like Shodan and Censys, which are essential for expanding the attack surface during reconnaissance
Includes a section on writing bug bounty and pentesting reports, which is a crucial skill for communicating findings and recommendations to clients
Features the use of Shodan for bug bounties, which can help learners discover critical vulnerabilities in targets by leveraging Shodan's search capabilities
Emphasizes the importance of reconnaissance in bug bounty hunting and penetration testing, which is a foundational concept for successful security assessments
Utilizes tools like Dirsearch and Gobuster for content discovery, which can help learners find sensitive endpoints and hidden files on target systems

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Reviews summary

Practical recon for hacking & bug bounty

According to learners, this course offers a largely positive experience, providing a solid foundation in reconnaissance for ethical hacking and bug bounty hunting. Students particularly praise the practical approach and the extensive coverage of numerous essential tools like Shodan, Amass, FFUF, and more, finding the demonstrations highly beneficial for real-world application. Many agree it's effective for beginners looking to enter the field. While some older reviews mention potentially outdated sections due to the rapidly changing nature of cybersecurity, recent feedback suggests the core methodologies and practical skills taught remain highly valuable.
Concepts and demos are well-explained.
"The instructor explained everything very clearly."
"Lectures were easy to understand and follow."
"I had no trouble grasping the concepts thanks to the clear instruction."
An excellent starting point for new learners.
"Great course for anyone starting out in bug bounty or pentesting."
"It's explained clearly enough for beginners to follow."
"As a beginner, I found this course very accessible and helpful."
Focuses on applying techniques with practical demos.
"The practical demonstrations were excellent and easy to follow."
"Really appreciated the hands-on labs and live hunting examples."
"Learning by doing with the tools was the strongest part for me."
Provides a strong base in reconnaissance methods.
"This course lays a great foundation for understanding reconnaissance."
"Helped me understand the importance and methodology of recon."
"I now have a clearer picture of how to approach targets for recon."
Explores a wide range of practical recon tools.
"Covers a wide range of tools, including Shodan, Amass, Subfinder, FFUF."
"I learned about so many useful tools for reconnaissance."
"The section on using various tools for domain and content discovery was very helpful."
Some tools or techniques may evolve quickly.
"Some sections felt a bit outdated."
"Wish certain tools were shown with their latest versions."
"Need to verify if all techniques are still current in the fast-moving field."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Recon for Ethical Hacking / Penetration Testing & Bug Bounty with these activities:
Review Networking Fundamentals
Reinforce your understanding of networking concepts like TCP/IP, DNS, and HTTP, which are crucial for understanding how web applications and servers communicate, a key aspect of reconnaissance.
Browse courses on Networking Fundamentals
Show steps
  • Review the OSI model and its layers.
  • Study common network protocols like TCP, UDP, and HTTP.
  • Practice subnetting and IP addressing.
Reading: 'Web Application Hacker's Handbook'
Understand the vulnerabilities that reconnaissance helps to uncover by studying common web application security flaws and exploitation techniques.
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on information gathering and vulnerability scanning.
  • Practice identifying vulnerabilities in a lab environment.
  • Relate the vulnerabilities to reconnaissance findings.
Reading: 'Hacking: The Art of Exploitation'
Gain a deeper understanding of exploitation techniques to better appreciate the vulnerabilities that reconnaissance aims to uncover.
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on network programming and exploitation.
  • Experiment with the provided code examples.
  • Relate the exploitation techniques to reconnaissance findings.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Practice Subdomain Enumeration
Sharpen your subdomain enumeration skills using online tools and techniques discussed in the course to improve your ability to discover potential attack surfaces.
Show steps
  • Use tools like Sublist3r, Amass, and Findomain on a target domain.
  • Verify the discovered subdomains using ping or nslookup.
  • Document your findings in a report.
Create a Recon Cheat Sheet
Consolidate your knowledge by creating a cheat sheet of common reconnaissance commands, tools, and techniques for quick reference during bug bounty hunting or penetration testing.
Show steps
  • List common Nmap commands for port scanning.
  • Summarize the usage of tools like Dirsearch and Gobuster.
  • Include examples of Shodan queries for finding vulnerabilities.
Bug Bounty Recon Project
Apply your reconnaissance skills to a real-world bug bounty program (with permission) to identify potential vulnerabilities and gain practical experience.
Show steps
  • Select a target from a bug bounty platform.
  • Perform thorough reconnaissance using various techniques.
  • Document your findings and submit a report.
Automated Recon Script
Develop a script to automate common reconnaissance tasks, such as subdomain enumeration, port scanning, and banner grabbing, to improve efficiency and consistency.
Show steps
  • Choose a scripting language (e.g., Python, Bash).
  • Implement functions for subdomain enumeration, port scanning, and banner grabbing.
  • Test the script against a target domain.
  • Add error handling and logging.

Career center

Learners who complete Recon for Ethical Hacking / Penetration Testing & Bug Bounty will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Bug Bounty Hunter
A bug bounty hunter seeks vulnerabilities in software and systems for rewards, and this course is heavily focused on the strategies they need. This course covers the fundamentals of bug bounty hunting, including recon techniques and target selection, which are critical for success. The course specifically covers tools and methods for subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and vulnerability identification, which are all cornerstones of bug bounty hunting. The inclusion of Shodan, certificate transparency, and GitHub reconnaissance techniques provides advanced strategies for uncovering bugs. The course's coverage on bug bounty platforms and report writing directly applies to this career path.
Ethical Hacker
An ethical hacker uses the same techniques as malicious actors, but with permission, and this course teaches critical methods. This course introduces crucial skills for ethical hacking, concentrating on reconnaissance and target analysis. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding web servers and DNS while teaching the use of tools for subdomain enumeration and vulnerability discovery. The course's detailed exploration of Shodan and other techniques provides the skills an ethical hacker needs to simulate attacks effectively. By explaining how these attacks work, this course delivers specific knowledge for students.
Penetration Tester
A penetration tester simulates cyberattacks on computer systems to identify vulnerabilities, and this course provides valuable training in the reconnaissance phase of that process. Reconnaissance is a crucial early stage of penetration testing, where information about the target system is gathered. This course helps build a foundation in using tools and techniques for target selection, subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and identifying potential vulnerabilities, all of which are essential for a penetration tester. The course emphasis on understanding how scans work and how they can be leveraged for exploitation is particularly relevant. It also covers report writing, an essential part of the penetration testing process.
Vulnerability Researcher
A vulnerability researcher investigates software and systems to discover security weaknesses, and this course provides them with vital information gathering skills. This course gives a strong introduction to reconnaissance, an important step in vulnerability research. The course content on subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and using tools like Shodan helps develop the methodology required. This course's emphasis on identifying CMS and technologies that could be vulnerable can help vulnerability researchers identify which systems to investigate. The course helps build a solid foundation for a career in vulnerability research.
Security Analyst
A security analyst monitors and protects computer networks and systems, and this course provides them with skills to understand attack surfaces. This course helps build a foundation in understanding how attackers gather information and identify vulnerabilities via reconnaissance. Learning the tools and techniques for target selection, subdomain enumeration, and content discovery, as taught in the course, enables a security analyst to better understand potential threats. The course's emphasis on how scans work is also beneficial in understanding how attackers probe networks. The included sections on Shodan and other tools gives security analysts additional skills for proactively identifying weaknesses.
Application Security Analyst
An application security analyst focuses on the security of software applications, and this course helps develop skills for exploring attack surfaces. This course's focus on reconnaissance techniques may be helpful to application security professionals, as they can learn how attackers identify vulnerabilities in software. The techniques covered in the course, such as subdomain enumeration and content discovery, can assist analysts in finding weak points in application deployments. The course's material on fuzzing, for example, may inform how to test applications for vulnerabilities. This course may be helpful in gaining an understanding of how to secure applications.
Information Security Consultant
An information security consultant advises organizations on how to protect their information assets, and this course can contribute to a solid understanding of attacker techniques. This course may be useful to teach consultants how attackers gather information about systems using various tools and strategies for recon. The focus on identifying vulnerabilities using techniques such as subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and fuzzing gives insights into potential weak spots. The course also covers report writing, which consultants will use to communicate their findings to clients. This course can be helpful in building an understanding of attack vectors.
Cybersecurity Engineer
A cybersecurity engineer designs, implements, and maintains security systems, and this course builds knowledge of potential attack vectors. This course may be useful by assisting engineers with understanding how attackers gather information and find vulnerabilities, specifically in the reconnaissance phase. The course offers methods for subdomain enumeration, finding vulnerabilities, and discovering content, which can help engineers ensure their designs account for potential weak spots. The course's coverage of techniques like Shodan and certificate transparency can help engineers evaluate tools for protecting networks. This course may be useful for the professional development of a cybersecurity engineer.
Cloud Security Specialist
A cloud security specialist focuses on the security of cloud-based systems, and this course teaches important methods for analyzing cloud infrastructure. This course may be helpful, as it covers techniques like subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and the use of tools like Shodan. These skills may assist a cloud security specialist when evaluating the security of cloud deployments. By learning how attackers perform recon, the specialist can better secure cloud infrastructure. This course may be helpful in strengthening knowledge of security in cloud environments.
Security Operations Center Analyst
A security operations center analyst monitors systems for security events, and this course may provide them a broader perspective of attacker techniques. This course's introduction to reconnaissance techniques can assist the analyst in understanding how attackers gather information. The tools and methods taught for subdomain enumeration, content discovery, and identifying vulnerabilities may be useful to improve their skills. This course's coverage of Shodan can help a security operations center analyst identify systems that might be vulnerable. This course may be useful to professional development.
Network Security Engineer
A network security engineer is responsible for the security of network infrastructure, and this course helps them better understand potential attack vectors. This course may be useful by teaching engineers how attackers gather information through recon, helping them to effectively secure their networks. The course covers practical skills in target selection, subdomain enumeration, and vulnerability identification which are helpful when creating defense strategies. The course's emphasis on understanding how scans work also informs their defense work. The section on Shodan may be useful in proactively identifying weaknesses. This course may be useful to develop skills for a network security engineer.
Web Application Developer
A web application developer creates and maintains web applications, and this course may help them better understand security vulnerabilities in their work. This course may be helpful to developers in better understanding how their applications may be attacked, particularly the reconnaissance phase of an attack. The course covers subdomain enumeration, content discovery and ways to identify technologies used by their application. The course’s coverage on fuzzing may also be helpful to the developer as it shows how applications can be tested for vulnerabilities. This course may be useful to developers who want to write more secure code.
Network Administrator
A network administrator manages and maintains computer networks, and this course may be useful to enhance understanding of network security. This course may help the administrator understand how attackers gather information and scan networks for vulnerabilities. The course may cover techniques for reconnaissance that are useful to learn and help to assess and improve network security. This course may be useful in contributing to a network administrator's skill set.
System Administrator
A system administrator manages and maintains computer systems, and this course can be useful in bolstering their security knowledge. This course may be useful as it provides information on how attackers perform reconnaissance and discover vulnerabilities, which is helpful when a system administrator is securing systems. The course covers techniques such as subdomain enumeration, content discovery and fuzzing. An understanding of these methods can help to secure systems. This course may be useful to the professional development of a system administrator.
IT Auditor
An IT auditor assesses an organization's IT systems and controls, and this course may be helpful in understanding potential risks. This course may be useful as it provides an overview of the reconnaissance process and how attackers gather information about systems. The course's information on identifying vulnerabilities can assist an auditor in better assessing risks. This course may be useful in developing the understanding of potential attack vectors for an IT auditor.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Recon for Ethical Hacking / Penetration Testing & Bug Bounty.
Provides a deep dive into the technical aspects of exploitation, covering topics like buffer overflows, shellcode, and network communication. It's a valuable resource for understanding the underlying mechanisms behind vulnerabilities discovered during reconnaissance. While not strictly about recon, it provides the necessary context for understanding *why* recon is important. This book is commonly used in cybersecurity courses.
Comprehensive guide to web application security, covering a wide range of vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques. It provides valuable context for understanding the potential impact of vulnerabilities discovered during reconnaissance. It useful reference tool for web application security. This book is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions and by industry professionals.

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