. /
XXE .li
| |

MY BUG BOUNTY JOURNEY: FROM FIRST FIND TO MY FIRST 0-DAY PAYOUT

02 March, 2026 at 07:11 PM COLDMARSH created by
BYTE
COLDMARSH

Joined: Feb 2026

DEPOSIT: ...

02 March, 2026 at 07:11 PM
#1
started bug bounty with literally no idea what i was doing

just reading writeups and trying random stuff

first few months = nothing

then got my first low severity bug

felt like unlocking something lol

kept going, learning, failing, repeating

big turning point was when i stopped randomly scanning and actually started understanding targets

then one day

found something deeper, not just basic stuff

turned out to be a legit 0-day

reported it, waited like crazy

and yeah… got paid

not life changing money but the feeling was insane

anyone else here doing bug bounty?

how long did it take you to get your first real payout?
BYTE
ArcherQueen

Joined: Jul 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

02 March, 2026 at 07:25 PM
#2
first payout feeling is unreal fr
BYTE
dull_blade

Joined: Oct 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

02 March, 2026 at 07:39 PM
#3
yeah its addictive after that
BYTE
soft_touch

Joined: May 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

02 March, 2026 at 08:04 PM
#4
how long did it take you to find that 0day?
BYTE
stonewake_92

Joined: Jan 2026

DEPOSIT: ...

02 March, 2026 at 08:18 PM
#5
months probably
BYTE
shadow_mage

Joined: Jun 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 06:11 AM
#6
first months with no results is the hardest part
BYTE
WISPFALL

Joined: Feb 2026

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 06:25 AM
#7
yeah most people quit there
BYTE
rustmoor_56

Joined: Apr 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 06:38 AM
#8
low severity bugs still matter
BYTE
NightOwl

Joined: Aug 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 06:49 AM
#9
they build mindset
BYTE
stonewake_92

Joined: Jan 2026

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 08:02 AM
#10
understanding targets is key
BYTE
next_level

Joined: Aug 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 08:16 AM
#11
random scanning rarely works
BYTE
DragonSlayer

Joined: Feb 2026

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 08:29 AM
#12
exactly, you need context
BYTE
IronShield

Joined: Jul 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 10:01 AM
#13
what type of bug was it?
BYTE
ashenveil

Joined: Dec 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 10:14 AM
#14
yeah curious
BYTE
thornmere_27

Joined: Sep 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

03 March, 2026 at 10:28 AM
#15
probably something deeper than xss lol
BYTE
WarlockKing

Joined: Jun 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

04 March, 2026 at 05:11 AM
#16
waiting for payout is stressful af
BYTE
COLDVEIN

Joined: Jul 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

04 March, 2026 at 05:25 AM
#17
yeah the review process takes forever sometimes
BYTE
DARKSHORE

Joined: Aug 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

04 March, 2026 at 05:38 AM
#18
and sometimes they reject for no reason
BYTE
FireStorm

Joined: Dec 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

04 March, 2026 at 05:47 AM
#19
painful
BYTE
firestarter

Joined: Sep 2025

DEPOSIT: ...

04 March, 2026 at 07:02 AM
#20
im still trying to get my first valid report

Want to join the discussion?

You must be logged in to post a reply in this topic.